Famous artist Glen Wexler is pushing limits with his new project, “AI on Acid.” Inspired by the fantastic “LSD & Creativity” research of Dr. Oscar Janiger, Wexler blends artificial intelligence with LSD’s mind-opening effects to create incredible, one-of-a-kind art.
Just in time to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the discovery of LSD, AI on Acid is set to drop with Nifty Gateway on April 19, 2023. Read on to find out more.
Tracing the Origins of AI on Acid
Dr. Oscar Janiger’s interest in LSD started in 1953 when he first tried it while seeking medical uses for the powerful drug. Fascinated by its potential, he began a study to see how LSD affected creativity. From 1958 to 1962, his research attracted famous people like Aldous Huxley, Alan Watts, Jack Nicholson, Cary Grant, James Coburn, and Andre Previn. Under LSD’s influence, these artists made paintings and drawings of a Native American Kachina doll – an image now used in Wexler’s project.
A New Age of Psychedelic Art: Unlocking AI’s Creative Power
Best known for his digitally enhanced photo compositions, Glen Wexler’s work features improbable situations on hundreds of album covers, including Van Halen, Rush, Black Sabbath, and ZZ Top. His impressive body of work can be found in permanent collections at the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film, Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), and Palm Springs Art Museum.
In “AI on Acid,” Wexler uses a high-quality photo of the inspirational Kachina doll and references work from Dr. Janiger’s research to guide the AI-created art. By choosing different AI-generated images and enhancing them in Photoshop, Wexler makes a striking mix of technology and psychedelia. The resulting art looks like the abstract, trippy creations of artists in Janiger’s study but with a unique AI twist.
Speaking about the project, Wexler said, “After documenting nearly 300 works from the original study for a coffee table book, it’s amazing to see AI create results that are unexpected, yet similar to the artists’ abstract interpretations in Janiger’s study, from colorful images to wild, trippy deconstructions. I realized that psychedelics bypass the ego and free the mind, leading to unusual neural connections and a changed view of reality. In the same way, AI, which probably has no ego, makes random connections using millions of data points. Over 60 years after the research project, it’s interesting to see the Kachina Doll reimagined as a Yoda-like figure.”
The Limitless Power of AI
Wexler’s groundbreaking project shows us that AI’s creative potential is limitless. By blending the endless inspiration of LSD-based art with AI’s power, “AI on Acid” gives us a peek into a world of artistic adventure beyond human perception.
Like the psychedelic experience that lets the mind make new connections and see reality differently, AI, free from ego, uncovers unique connections and ideas. Wexler’s work is a stunning tribute to Dr. Janiger’s research and proof of creativity’s ever-changing nature.
Nifty Gateway is a prominent digital art auction platform specializing in NFT art. The platform has partnered with esteemed artists and brands to produce exclusive collections of high-quality, limited-edition NFTs. The AI on Acid release with Nifty Gateway represents the continuing connection between altered states of consciousness and creative expression.
