Weed-Inspired Artists Whose Artwork Will Take You HigherWeed-Inspired Artists Whose Artwork Will Take You Higher

Calling all weed lovers: The Oakland Museum of California will open “Altered State: Marijuana in California” on April 16 (although we have to say, we’re surprised they didn’t set a date four later, when the undocumented stoner festival begins).

Although the exhibition will not focus on art but rather start a discussion about drugs, their use and the social and political issues that are changing around them, we think it is a good excuse to explore some of the best paintings of this era. . See our favorites below.

1. Fred Tomaselli, Super Plant 

Fred Tomaselli has finished all kinds of things in resin-covered compositions, including insects, seeds, butterflies and flowers, but this 1994 project is dedicated only to marijuana. The black background and minimalistic style reflect the beauty of the plant without compromising Tomaselli’s signature style. The Super Plant now resides in the Hort Family Collection in New York.

2. Dan Colen, Marijuana for Life 

The first son of Dan Colen is sober now, but in 2006 he created a tribute to marijuana in this form of advertising. To create this work, Colen shot a 1969 Life cover, which features a frontal marijuana cigarette with two lips. 

3. Chris Burden, Newcastle Coals 

Burden used marijuana in many of his shows, but Coals for Newcastle, which he performed on December 17, 1978, was one of his wildest. Named after the English language that suggests a no-nonsense attitude, Burden flew two joints from California (grown in the United States) to Mexico in airplanes with signs such as “Hecho in U.S.A.”, “Fumenlos Muchachos” and “Topanga Typica”. 

4. Mélanie Bernier’s spliff package 

Mélanie Bernier, a musician and artist, creates beautiful joints from vinyl, fabric and thread and even makes fake wooden joints to go with them – fabric for those who choose not to breathe. 

5. Ricardo Cortés, It’s just a tree 

Artist, illustrator and author Ricardo Cortés’ offbeat children’s book, Marijuana: It’s Just a Plant, may not be every parent’s choice for bedtime reading, but it proves that Pots are something that millions of people use every day and that children will eventually become familiar with. – may be from an unreliable source. Fun fact: Cortés is also the author of the hilarious adult lullaby parody Go The Fuck to Sleep.

6. Tom Sachs, Bong Hitting Station 

Tom Sachs’ tongue-in-cheek, no-nonsense video Bong Hit Station, released in 2013, provides beginners with a detailed (and uncomplicated) guide to getting high. We challenge your average stoner to try and replicate these techniques here.

7. Robert Arneson, an artist in California 

Addressing the misidentification, he felt he had been given as an artist working in California, Robert Arneson created the rock sculpture California Artist, in which he portrayed himself as a hippie king of the forest in a denim jacket. open, salty and bearded and, you guessed it, a potted plant. 

8. Bentley Meeker, Bongolier 

Lighting designer Bentley Meeker mixes high and low culture with “Bongoliers,” chandeliers made from recycled glass bongs. The paintings combine different light sources, some reflecting different colors and others on the shadier side.

Is it like something you have to see to believe? Three of the Bongoliers will be exhibited at the National Arts Club in New York, from October 28 to November 7, 2015.

A Short History Of Cannabis And ArtA Short History Of Cannabis And Art

The stigmatization and criminalization of cannabis represents a dramatic change in the past and the long-term human relationship with the plant.

For most of our history, cultures around the world have embraced the ever-changing cannabis sativa. When the first civilizations discovered the industry, psychology and medicine, they honored it in their works of art.

Even the Chinese dedicated it to him in their language. Take a look at the ancient Chinese text – the Mandarin word for “hemp” and you’ll see that it’s actually a picture of two cannabis plants hanging to dry under a storage shed.

This is one of the earliest representations of the cannabis plant, which originates from Central Asia. Around 3000 BCE, the Chinese began using hemp to produce clothing, fiber, and paper.

This may not be the first version of cannabis sativa. Many researchers believe that this painting, which was found on the wall of a cave in Japan, shows two cannabis leaves. (They have seven points – like many other cannabis leaf displays). This painting dates from 5,000 BCE (when hemp was first cultivated in Japan), which would make it the oldest example of a cannabis leaf discovered to date.

Around 1000 BCE, Hindu tribes in the Indian subcontinent consumed bhang – a type of cannabis plant that was ground into a paste with a mortar and pestle. Asian traders introduced cannabis to new countries. The tree reached the Arab world around 1230 BCE, where it was painted as part of religious ceremonies and said to please the pharaohs. Take a look at this Egyptian statue of Seshat (goddess of wisdom and knowledge) that dates back to this time. The Egyptians did not leave us legends, so we do not know exactly what was intended for this symbol on the top of his head. Some archaeologists say it is a star painting; others believe that it is clearly a seven-pointed cannabis leaf.

By the 12th century, the healing and restorative power of cannabis sativa had earned hemp the reputation of the “elixir of life” in many parts of eastern Asia – which is why it was said to be a guardian. This is the goddess Magu, who is worshiped in Korea, Japan and China. She is often shown carrying various flowers and herbs on her branches or shoulders. By the end of the Middle Ages, cannabis was adopted in most of Europe. Botanists have reported its medicinal value in the pages of scientific journals alongside surprising examples. 

The 20th Century: Prevention and Beyond 

When the US legislature banned cannabis in 1937, an anti-cannabis campaign arose. Posters for movies like “Reefer Madness” warned that just one bite of “devil weed” was enough to summon a demon that would take your children to hell. Along with the peace symbol, the cannabis leaf has become one of the most popular symbols of American counterculture in the 1960s and 1970s.

It is associated with the cannabis plant – whose symbol is celebrated in cultures around the world – is now controversial. 

Cannabis is like a spirit 

We have looked at some of the artistic aspects of cannabis, but it is also worth remembering the great role it plays in expression. Artists of all genres have used it to get new ideas. Famous experts include Louis Armstrong, Bob Marley, and the Beatles, all of whom credit cannabis for putting them in the mood for improved well-being.

As the stigma of anti-cannabis diminishes, the modern art scene will see a new spark of creativity as other enthusiasts use it as a source of inspiration. And let’s not forget the beautiful pipes, bongs, and vape pens that you can find in the head shops today – they can be created works of art in their own way.

Nothing New; Cannabis And ArtNothing New; Cannabis And Art

The history of cannabis use is long and often confusing. The use of hemp dates back thousands of years, in Japan for example, it started during the Jomon period (8000-300 BC) where it was used to make clothes and many other things. As a spiritual practice, the use of cannabis is also ancient, with its origins dating back to Asia, and its use as a spiritual or shamanic tool appears to have originated in ancient China. If cannabis was used to create visions of wise rulers or spiritual beings in ancient history, perhaps this can help us understand why in modern times, cannabis has developed a strong relationship and art, supporting writers, artists, artists, actors. or artists. musicians as a powerful tool of motivation. 

This relationship is not so obvious in the recent past. In South Africa, forensic scientists discovered cannabis in pipes found in Shakespeare’s garden, suggesting that the famous poet in the English language took pot himself for inspiration. In the Netherlands, the famous artist Adriaen Brouwer (who lived between 1606 and 1638) was a famous cannabis user, or “back-drinker”, a common term for stone, even showing it in his drawing. This practice is popular in Brouwers art circles. Modern examples of the relationship between cannabis and art are recorded with more confidence. Baudelaire, the famous French writer, wrote about the effect of the drug: “The most ordinary words, the simplest thoughts take on a new and wonderful aspect. » 

Baudelaire got into cannabis, in a roundabout way, after Napoleon invaded Egypt. This act of colonialism will bring the plant back to Europe from Egypt (where smoking hashish is popular, since cannabis pollen was found in the mummy of Ramses II) and begin its dissemination to the public and the king of Europe in 1800. The plant is used as medicine as it is popular in France with artists, bohemians and intellectuals. Its use is well known (perhaps due to the nature of the medium) in the Baudelaire literary community, since Dumas, Victor Hugo, (philosopher) Gautier and others had a great influence on French literature. Not only in French literature, writers around the world seem to be interested in cannabis, including the famous Irish poet Yeats and the American writer Louisa May Alcott (author of Little Women) who wrote “Heaven is bless the hashish, if his dreams end. like that!” 

In the 20th century, the use of cannabis and its inspiration in radical art movements were well documented and open. Salvador Dali could say, “I don’t drink drugs, I’m a drug,” but the paintings of the surrealist movement he godfathered are psychedelic staples, posters that still adorn the walls of major stores today. In the Roaring Twenties, weed or “tea” became a popular drug in some parts of America. Pot became and continues to be the drug of choice for musicians, especially jazz musicians.

Dr. James Munch, a pharmacologist who studied marijuana’s effects on the racist man who, along with Harry Anslinger, helped pioneer its prohibition, said of its effects: “If you are someone who -singer, you have to play this. how to print it on paper. And if you use marijuana, you will work about twice as much music between the first and second books. This is what happened to jazz musicians. The idea that they can make things shine, make them come alive, you know. Ironically, he saw it as a bad thing, but that’s why it was popular as a motivational tool for “vipers,” or people who – jazz artists who use cannabis. 

Louis Armstrong appreciated the drug for the “burn it always produces from someone else’s hand.” Especially those who light a good stick of that ‘shuzzit’ or gage…” And Dizzy Gillespie was quoted as saying, “Jazz musicians, old and young, almost If everyone I know smokes weed, I will. I don’t call it an addiction. A look at Dizzy will show the truth: it is difficult to find an important musician of the 20th century who did not find inspiration in smoke. Pot will find its way into any genre of music, making it hard to ignore his work in popular music, period. 

The quality of this medicine seems impossible to ignore among the new artists’ machines emerging throughout the 20th century. During the Tory War and after the war, drugs were used behind closed doors, but in 1948, when Robert Mitchum was stopped by the traffic police and arrested for possession of cannabis, it was only in ‘ young, marks a big change and. public opinion. Then, in the 1960s, the counterculture movement exploded. In the film, Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda reportedly spent a lot of money on Easy Rider on Pot, which featured a famous scene where the actors shared a joint and discussed its effects. In art, psychedelia and pop are fashionable, like the work of Peter Max or Andy Warhol who is said to have said “I smoke weed because I want to go to heaven before I die.” This movement is shown in popular fashion styles on the streets of London or San Francisco.

 A new generation has contributed to the reduction of cannabis, looking at cannabis for its medicinal properties and its value as a tool for creativity. I will end the brief history of cannabis here, although cannabis has continued, and continues to do so, influencing art forms across the world, from the hip hop to modern art. It would be a long task to determine the full impact of cannabis on art and this article ignores much of its history around the world, so consider it a quick review. Come back to this blog in the future for more research on cannabis’ relationship with the rich history of art.

At High Art, we strongly believe in the power of pottery as a creative tool. Our Ceci n’est pas un bong series is a (successful) attempt to connect established and emerging Montreal artists, bringing them into the fast-paced world of cannabis. Everyone’s relationship with this plant is different. For some it calms them down and for others it is stimulating, for some it allows them to see clearly and for others it makes the mind run from one subject to another. and the other. Whether a tool for introspection or performance, weed has clearly had a long-lasting influence on all of our modern art forms. So, get out your pipe, bong or good old joint and see if you can find some inspiration for yourself.