Quotes, links and sources
·
Books:
- "Are You Experienced? How Psychedelic Consciousness Transformed
Modern Art” – Johnson, Ken, 2011
- “Electrical Banana: Master of
Psychedlic art” – Hathaway. Norman, Nadel. Dan, 2012
- “The
Man with Kaleidoscope Eyes: The Art of Alan Aldridge” – Alan Aldridge, 2009
- “High
Art: A History of the Psychedelic Poster”, Ted Owen, 1999
- “Summer of
Love: Art of the Psychedelic Era” – Christoph Grunenburg ------ (Summer of Love will be the first definitive
guide to the Art of the Psychedelic era. Richly illustrated, the book presents
a unique range of images of works of art, alongside a wealth of contextual
material and a number of informative, authoritative yet accessible essays.
Covering a wide range of issues, they reflect the pervasive penetration of the
art and culture of the 1960s by the aesthetics of psychedelia.)
- “Ultraviolet: 69 Classic Blacklight Posters from the Aquarian Age
and Beyond”, Dan Danahue, 2009 ------- (Book on art-form from the 60’s : One of the most ubiquitous items of the 1960s
and 1970s, the black light poster represented some of the most imaginative,
colorful, and "out there" creativity of the period; Ultraviolet is the first book to ever celebrate
this alternative art form.)
- “Kelsey Brookes:
Psychedelic Space” From amazon book page: “Originally trained as a biochemist, Brookes initially favored
figurative forms when he first veered into his art career.”
“Gatefold spreads, a sticker sheet, and a clear
molecular overlay on his stunning LSD piece, along with a booklet bound within
and glow-in-the-dark cover text, bring the mind-changing experience of Brookes
art to life.”
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·
Artists/Creative
practitioners:
- Alan Aldridge (‘The man with the Kaleidoscope Eyes
(book)’) –see artwork and influences
- R.Crumb – Newspaper comic artist – 1960’s
- Kelsey Brookes - (see ‘Kelsey
Brookes: Psychedelic Space’ book)
- Alan Grey
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·
Academic
Journals:
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·
Online:
“I see the
psychedelic experience as a birthright, and we can’t have a free society until
people are free to explore their own mind.”
Terence McKenna http://entheorg2.tumblr.com/post/114016620289/i-see-the-psychedelic-experience-as-a-birthright
Terence quotes
A
term coined by Timothy Leary to describe the psychedelic experience. Leary
explains it in his book Flashbacks as such
“Turn on’ meant go within to activate your neural and genetic equipment. Become sensitive to the many and various levels of consciousness and the specific triggers that engage them. Drugs were one way to accomplish this end. ‘Tune in’ meant interact harmoniously with the world around you – externalize, materialize, express your new internal perspectives. Drop out suggested an elective, selective, graceful process of detachment from involuntary or unconscious commitments. ‘Drop Out’ meant self-reliance, a discovery of one’s singularity, a commitment to mobility, choice, and change. Unhappily my explanations of this sequence of personal development were often misinterpreted to mean ‘Get stoned and abandon all constructive activity.”
“Turn on’ meant go within to activate your neural and genetic equipment. Become sensitive to the many and various levels of consciousness and the specific triggers that engage them. Drugs were one way to accomplish this end. ‘Tune in’ meant interact harmoniously with the world around you – externalize, materialize, express your new internal perspectives. Drop out suggested an elective, selective, graceful process of detachment from involuntary or unconscious commitments. ‘Drop Out’ meant self-reliance, a discovery of one’s singularity, a commitment to mobility, choice, and change. Unhappily my explanations of this sequence of personal development were often misinterpreted to mean ‘Get stoned and abandon all constructive activity.”
"Like every great religion of the past we seek
to find the divinity within and to express this revelation in a life of
glorification and the worship of God. These ancient goals we define in the
metaphor of the present — turn on, tune in, drop out." - Timothy Leary
______________________________
Albert Hofmann is one of the
most important scientists of our time, whose discoveries have powerfully
influenced culture, society and science. Until its prohibition LSD was seen as
a consciousness -expanding "wonder-drug", inducing self-awareness.
Between 1943 and 1970 it generated almost 10,000 scientific publications,
leading to its description as "the most intensively researched
pharmacological substance ever".
CNN “Ken Johnson
– Psychedlic art” – How the drugs of the 60’s changed art
“(CNN) -- The words "psychedelic" and
"art" likely conjure images of acid rock posters, fluorescent
mushrooms and tie-dyed ... stuff.”
“Johnson spoke with CNN about
R. Crumb, tripping on the steps of the New Hampshire capitol, and why the term
"psychedelic" tends to turn off people in both mainstream and high
art circles.”
“CNN: Are you suggesting that you have to be stoned or high to
create art or appreciate modern art?
Johnson: No, I don't think being high or stoned makes anybody
more creative. If it did, there would be a lot of stoners out there making
great art... I don't think you have to be high to look at it.
I think what it does do, I think any work of art encourages you
to imagine your way into a state of consciousness that may not be your normal
state, so you kind of suspend disbelief and allow yourself to be imaginatively
seduced into a different way of relating to the world so that you study things
more carefully, you think about how things are affecting you.”
“CNN: Were you able to get anyone on the record making that claim
for this book?
Johnson: Yes, I spoke with a lot of artists and some of them did,
and I quote some of them.
One of my favorite quotes, there's an artist named Deborah Kass, who is known for making very vivid
paintings that have to do with feminist politics. They're kind of comical and
very punchy in a pop art sort of way.
And she told me that when she was going to art school in the
'70s, she tripped on LSD almost every week and she said she felt it was her
"moral duty as an artist to take the trip."
“Johnson: I think the artist who's probably getting the most buzz
right now is a young artist named Ryan Trecartin, who is a video
artist who has a show at P.S. 1 in New York, a big show of his videos, which I
mention in the book...
And I think he fits into the paradigm I'm describing about
consciousness and multiple realities and the existential flux that psychedelics
suggest. I don't know that he would describe his work as psychedelic, it's not
a term that has a lot of respect in art criticism these days. I almost wish
there was another term for what I'm talking about.
CNN: How has the term acquired a negative connotation?
Johnson: I remember when I first started working on the book I
ran into an art historian at an opening a few years ago and I said, "I'm
starting to write a book on the influence of psychedelics on art."
And he kind of smirked and said, "Well, psychedelic art is
good if you're on psychedelics."
I think the common thought was that there is or has been this
genre of the psychedelic poster or fantasy, the kinds of things that put
psychedelic culture in this kind of niche that didn't have any kind of highbrow
cachet.
So it has a stigma that people are not eager to embrace or
associate themselves with. Also, these drugs are all illegal -- especially in
the '60s and '70s, they were highly illegal ...
There's been kind of a resurgence. This whole psychedelic thing
is still part of our culture. It's not over. There are people who are doing
research into different psychedelics for their possible medicinal benefits.”
“I was just reading ... that the New York Public Library paid
$900,000 for Timothy Leary's papers, which is a great trove of information for
all the famous people who were corresponding with him and talking about
psychedelics. So, it's a very rich history and it's not over.”
“Art became a means of altering consciousness,”
“Psychedelic culture had a really central impact
on art beginning in the '60s and really changed the direction of art.”
– Ken Johnson, art critic and author
__________
How
Do Psychedelic Drugs Affect Creativity?
Scientific studies suggest that LSD and other psychedelic drugs
can significantly enhance creativity and inspire novel thought.
Pinellas Beaches, FL
“In 1955 Louis
Berlin investigated the effects of mescaline and LSD on the painting abilities
of four nationally-recognized graphic artists.
Although the study showed that there was some impairment of technical ability among the artists, a panel of independent art critics judged the experimental paintings as having “greater aesthetic value” than the artists’ usual work.”
Although the study showed that there was some impairment of technical ability among the artists, a panel of independent art critics judged the experimental paintings as having “greater aesthetic value” than the artists’ usual work.”
“In 1959 Los Angeles psychiatrist Oscar Janiger asked sixty
prominent artists to paint a Native American doll before taking LSD and then
again while under its influence.
These 120 paintings were then evaluated by a panel of independent art critics and historians. As with Berlin’s study, there was a general agreement by the judges that the craftsmanship of the LSD paintings suffered, however many received higher marks for imagination than the pre-LSD paintings.”
These 120 paintings were then evaluated by a panel of independent art critics and historians. As with Berlin’s study, there was a general agreement by the judges that the craftsmanship of the LSD paintings suffered, however many received higher marks for imagination than the pre-LSD paintings.”
“In addition to the scientific studies
that have been conducted there are also a number of compelling anecdotal
examples that suggest a link between creativity and psychedelic drugs. For
example, architect Kyosho Izumi’s LSD-inspired design of the ideal psychiatric
hospital won him a commendation for outstanding achievement from the American
Psychiatric Association, and Apple cofounder Steve Jobs attributes some of the
insights which lead to the development of the personal computer to his use of
LSD.”
“Additionally, a number of renowned scientists have personally
attributed their breakthrough scientific insights to their use of psychedelic
drugs--including Nobel Prize winners Francis Crick and Kary Mullis.
Anecdotal reports suggest that very low doses of LSD--threshold level doses, around 20 micrograms--are especially effective as creativity enhancers.
For example, Francis Crick was reported to be using low doses of LSD when he discovered the double-helix structure of the DNA molecule.
There hasn’t been a formal creativity study with the classical psychedelics since 1965, although there are numerous anecdotal reports of artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, and other people who attribute a portion of their creativity and inspiration to their use of psychedelics.”
Anecdotal reports suggest that very low doses of LSD--threshold level doses, around 20 micrograms--are especially effective as creativity enhancers.
For example, Francis Crick was reported to be using low doses of LSD when he discovered the double-helix structure of the DNA molecule.
There hasn’t been a formal creativity study with the classical psychedelics since 1965, although there are numerous anecdotal reports of artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, and other people who attribute a portion of their creativity and inspiration to their use of psychedelics.”
“Although scientific studies into creativity and psychedelics
are long overdue, there is, however, currently a study underway at the
University College London, conducted by Valerie Curran and Celia Morgan, that
is looking at the relationship between cannabis and creativity.”
Enhancing Creative Work with
Psychedelics
Link: http://howtousepsychedelics.org/creative-work/
“Psychedelics
(specifically LSD and Mushrooms) can be extremely helpful to artists or anyone
working on creative projects. Because psychedelics help us to see and think
without our usual defenses, the artist's ideas are able to sidestep their
normal defensive filters (anxiety, competition, fear) resulting in truer,
freer, creation. Simply put, the artist is able to hear their own voice more
clearly. They know more immediately when they are being real, or being false.
Psychedelics allow us to think outside of the normal framework
of time, space, language and the sensory. We may “see” sounds, or “feel” colors
etc. This opens a new way of thinking about and communicating emotions and
ideas. The artist is essentially given a new language. Psychedelics may also
bring forth a new understanding of an individual’s psyche, the physical world,
emotional world, spiritual world, and the artist’s role in all four.
For creative work we recommend lower doses, so that you are able
to focus. We’d suggest LSD doses at or under 50 mcg, and mushroom doses under
.5 grams (roughly 2 small caps or an equivalent amount). As everyone’s
sensitivity differs, you may need to experiment to find the right amount for
you. When working on a low-dose your goal is not to “trip” but to open yourself
to your own ideas.
Because you may be sitting unmoving for long periods of time as
you work, your body may be very stiff toward the end of the day. To reduce
stiffness or water retention drink plenty of fluids and try to take several
stretching breaks. You may even want to work at a makeshift standing desk for
short periods of time. Have snacks or light meals readily available. If you
haven’t eaten all day and still don’t feel hungry, eat a banana anyway -- keep
your energy up! Hunger affects the mood of your psychedelic experience.”
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·
Images
to be analysed:
Notes:
- 1960’s live band/gig posters
- Vinyl album artwork
- Artwork from the masters
- Modern artists from today under the influence
-1960’s drug/hippie movement posters
Kelsey Brookes piece
Alan Grey piece
Starry night famous piece
