Psychedelic art (also known as psychedelia) is art, graphics, or visual performances associated with or inspired by psychedelic experiences and hallucinations known to occur after the consumption of psychedelic substances such as LSD, psilocybin (found in magic mushrooms), and DMT.
The word “psychedelic” (coined by British psychologist Humphry Osmond) means “manifestation of the mind.” According to this definition, any artistic efforts aimed at depicting the inner world of the psyche can be considered “psychedelic.”
The Birth of Psychedelic Art
Psychedelia originated in the 1960s and was linked to the intense hippie movement, which opened the hearts and minds of artists, musicians, and philosophers. The experiences that arise after consuming magic mushrooms or other psychedelics express themselves through altered states of perception of one’s own mind. Artists began creating a reality unknown to them, activating previously dormant areas of their minds. Distortions, intensified colors, hypnotic fractals, and surreal images started to fill the realm of art as well. The psychedelic aesthetic favored intensely contrasting colors that had the ability to induce vibrations upon viewing the work, which was a clear reference to a trip (a state after consuming substances like LSD). Surrealism and elements of Art Nouveau also had a significant influence on psychedelic art, contributing to the expression of this genre.
The birthplace of psychedelic counterculture was San Francisco. It was there, thanks to the dynamic cultural centers around music clubs such as Fillmore West and Avalon Ballroom, that the first psychedelic posters promoting musical legends such as Jefferson Airplane and Big Brother and the Holding Company were created. The simultaneous advancement of technology, specifically the replacement of lithographic printing with offset printing, provided many new possibilities that were fully utilized by psychedelic creators.
Psychedelic Creators
Among the leading poster artists, notable figures include: Rick Griffin, Bonnie MacLean, Alton Kelley, Wes Willson, and Victor Moscoso. The latter created psychedelic works using comic elements, and his international career began with the famous “Summer of Love” festival in 1967. Willson, on the other hand, was known for his melting, dripping fonts that became characteristic of the period.
Vivid colors, strong saturations, distortions, rubbery fonts, collages, and much symmetry were all characteristics of the Californian poster scene, which supported musical events, called for social change, and visualized the anti-war movement.
Outside of San Francisco, London was also significant. It was there that op art was born, which depicted patterns creating optical illusions. The most famous painter of the time was Bridget Riley.
The record market also boasted outstanding psychedelic album covers. Particular attention should be given to the album covers for Miles Davis’ Jazz-Rock fusion, designed by Mati Klarwein. The design group Hipgnosis also supported the graphic work for Pink Floyd albums.