The Art of Drugs: Psilocybin, Perception and the Art of Distorted Structure

Abstract

The influence that psilocybin has on human experience is one that warps perception and creative output. Art can therefore be a gateway into understanding psilocybin and other perceptual distortions such as visual impairment, dementia, and schizophrenia, alongside cultural influence and acceptance. Drawing from scientific research, psychological studies, and visual analysis of relevant artworks, it is explored how these perceptual shifts shape artistic output across varying contexts.

The cultural connection to psilocybin use is considered through the drug-related advertisement shift of the 1970s and how drug use links back to consumerism, contrasted with culturally accepted drug use seen within Amazonian tradition. The differences showcase consistencies in artworks in relation to cultural identity, spirituality and how society can directly influence altered consciousness.

By comparing art made within non-psychedelic altered perception, artist Claude Monet’s infamous struggle with cataracts and vision loss is examined through his deteriorating artworks. This brings the intentionality behind recreational drug use into question, and the extent to which this influence is neurological.

Dementia and schizophrenia are considered as visual similarities between psilocybin-induced artworks arise. Through deeper research, the brain’s Default Mode Network is discovered to be a crucial link for these similarities. Distorted views of colour, pattern and structure reflect on the artists’ mental state, with artworks being a possible form of self-therapy.

This exploration concludes by investigating how media romanticisation of drug use can lead to misconceptions that psilocybin creates artistic genius. This negatively impacts public perception of artists, mental health and creates discourse within the art community.