PSYCHEDELIC AESTHETICS

The Huffington Post states that it is now recognised by the medical profession that there is a definite connection between one’s emotions and physical health. In times of political upheaval, consumers are prioritising emotional healing. According to The New York Times, people are feeling ‘this sense of crisis and at the same time, they recognise that the solution is going to be spiritual and psychological, rather than material’. As such, they are on a path of emotive healing and spiritualism in order to establish an antidote to anxieties of the world.

Interestingly, a five-day convention of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies took place earlier this year in April 2017. The New York Times cites that ‘many theories, including those belonging to Big Pharmaceutical companies, are not providing satisfying solutions to mental illnesses’. As such, people are turning to psychedelics for a solution.

It comes as no surprise then that Psychedelics are enjoying a renaissance. Earlier this year, Printmag explored the Acid Aesthetic and referenced how in the 1960s, San Francisco was the global capital of the counterculture that was mind expansion. LSD was an unfamiliar world yet the allure was exciting and inspired aesthetic exploration. By definition, the term ‘psychedelic’ is a breakdown of psyche and delos and translates to soul or mind manifesting.

Captivatingly, The Tate Modern’s Fahrelnissa Zeid’s exhibit invites guests to be mesmerised by the female artist’s kaleidoscopic paintings. The relationship between kaleidoscopic aesthetics and psychedelic drugs often reflects the idea of an altered stated of mind.

With more people revisiting the psychedelic movement that begun in the 60’s, the acid aesthetic is visually profound. London’s very own Liberty’s has taken inspiration from this counterculture. The iconic department store has put together a summer exhibition entitled The Dark Side of Liberty.

Drawing on the current climate of fake news and proliferation of social media, Liberty is reconnecting to the stores roots and local neighbourhood. As such, the creative direction has been accredited to Soho in the 1960s, whereby counterculture inspired rebellion and was expressed through the arts, music, political protest and fashion. Most notably, the store has referenced psychedelic art within the retail environment.

As people continue to turn to spiritualism and psychedelic rituals, the sentiment and aesthetic behind the movement will manifest across industries.