This
week’s exploration of how drugs like LSD and cocaine produced psychedelic
hallucinations in the user’s mind got me wondering about how these substances
affect artists and the production of their art. As we discussed neuroscience
and how drugs played a role in first medicine and then in psychotherapeutic
endeavors, I couldn’t help but wonder whether drugs could actually inspire
anything worthwhile in the ream of art—especially considering the
health-related cost to the user.
With
a little research, I found that artists have actually been using drugs to alter
their minds and help inspire their artwork for years1—including Van
Gogh, Picabia, The Beatles, and Graham Nash.
Viktor Oliva’s 19th
century painting “Absinthe Drinker” is a reflection of his own experience with
the mind-altering substance. In this instance, Oliva’s work seems to have been
positively influenced by absinthe—as far as history is concerned, it didn’t
much negatively effect his life, and he used his love for the drink to create a
beautiful piece of art. The painting still hangs on the wall in Café Slavia in
Prague, the very place in which Oliva’s piece was inspired.2
 |
| Musician Graham Nash, who used LSD and other drugs while creating music |
 |
| Viktor Oliva's "Absinthe Drinker" |
In
Oliva’s case, his art was unintentionally inspired by the hallucinogen that he
was already drinking. Sometimes, however, artists take these substances
specifically to alter their mindset so that they can produce art that is a
direct result of their drug-induced state. This approach is far more dangerous,
as evidenced by Bryan Lewis Saunders. Saunders is an artist who, in 2001,
decided that we would take a different drug everyday for a few weeks, and after
the high kicked in he would create a self-portrait.3The purpose for
this was to see how the influence of each drug might alter his perception. The
result was a series of quite interesting pictures, but at what price?
Saunders
admits that his experiment left him, “lethargic and [he] suffered mild brain
damage that fortunately wasn’t irreparable.”4 Ultimately, messing
with your mental and physical health is not worth it for the sake of art.
 |
| A selection of Bryan Lewis Saunder's self-portraits, under the influence of Psilocybin mushrooms, absinthe, and marijuana [from left to right, respectively] |
While
it may appeal to some artists to take drugs in order to expand their creative
scope, in the end the benefits do not outweigh the risks for the individual.
Taking drugs can result in toxicity, addiction, and even death.5 When it comes to making art, one should
rely on the creativity of their sober mind instead of pharmacologically
altering it.
Works Cited:
[3] Anthony, Robert.
"Artist Creates Self-Portraits On Different Drugs, And The Results Are
Insane." Elite Daily. 30 Jan. 2014. Web. 17 May 2015.
[1] Dagen, Phillippe.
"Under The Influence: Tracing A Long, Twisted History Of Artists And Their
Drugs." Worldcrunch.com. Worldcrunch, 18 May 2013. Web. 14 May 2015
[5] Fields, R. Douglas.
"Creativity, Madness and Drugs." Scientific American Global RSS.
Scientific American, 22 Nov. 2013. Web. 16 May 2015.
[4] Saunders, Bryan Lewis.
"Under the Influence." Bryan Lewis Saunders. Web. 15 May 2015.
[2] "Viktor Oliva:
Absinthe Painter, Absinthe Drinker." Get to Know Lucid Absinthe.
WordPress.com, 10 Sept. 2012. Web. 17 May 2015.
Picture Links:
I liked your blog, especially the Saunders section. I believe that many artists use drugs and other substances to escape reality and the boundaries of their minds with the drugs so that they can create something beyond what they can normally do. I agree that it can be dangerous though, so it should definitely be done with care and be limited to a certain amount of usage.
ReplyDeleteIt's not surprising that there are many artist that use drugs in order to influence and inspire their art. The altering of the mind would create different perceptions of life and they may even take on a new persona to help create something that others or themselves would not be able to do otherwise. I'm glad you talked about both the positive and negative sides of this phenomenon.
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