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Drugged Self-Portraits — Through an Illicit Lens Bryan Lewis Saunders finds Fear and Loathing

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Sometimes the suffering we go through for the sake of Art is completely self-induced.

Take Bryan Lewis Saunders, for example. The D.C.-based artist recently released a series of self-portraits each drawn through the lens of a different drug. The series — appropriately titled “Drugs” — includes 48 self portraits composed while Saunders was on everything from Crystalmeth and cocaine to DMT and Bath Salts. The experiment — which had Saunders taking a different drug everyday — left him “lethargic” and with “mild brain damage.” [Browse through a sample of Saunders’s work in the gallery above.]

And I thought leaning out of a helicopter was sort of on the edge.

Incredibly, Saunders claims that the experiment is on-going and that he plans to allow more time in between each session.

Sounds like a smart idea.

While this kind of over-the-edge mining for creativity may pay off for the painter, I have serious doubts that it could produce the same results for the photographer. Sadly (or fortunately, depending on how you factor mild brain damage into your risk/reward equation) the camera lens tends to act as a pretty strong filter for mind altering substances.

Or so I’ve been told.

Let it go on record that I am not advocating any of you to go out and repeat this journey for the sake of Photography. [But if you do, please send along the results.]

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31 replies on:
Drugged Self-Portraits — Through an Illicit Lens Bryan Lewis Saunders finds Fear and Loathing

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  1. 3y2fylcg66m says:
    May 26, 2013 at 8:38 pm

    usually posts some very interesting stuff like this. If you are new to this site[…]

  2. Brenda says:
    November 14, 2012 at 1:33 pm

    Wow, As a recovered addict of Meth, I was way interested in this very interesting series of images. I first worried that you may hurt yourself seriously by submitting your self to such trauma as 9 drugs. But I see where you are coming from. I draw and am a photographer. I look back 6 years ago at things I photographed, and drawings I made and totally understand why you did this. Being under the influence of any substance is for sure going to change the way you perceive things; as well as the way you get your artistic self out there.
    I follow you on FB and this is the first time I have felt like leaving a comment. I see that you are receiving some grief for your experiment. AHhhh… People are too judgemental. You are an Artist, Artist are like actors, you have to sometimes step outside your realm in order to satisfy curiosity,…. great work

  3. Mark says:
    October 9, 2012 at 8:02 am

    Mr. Really?! Embarrassed Dissapointed Anon: seriously, what you guys smoke man?! i mean come on.. you are here (in this blog) to basically appreciate the artist and celebrate their art. i believe everybody here is mature enough to understand the purpose of this fantastic blog. the question is: are you? nobody needs to log in to a photography blog to get familiar with drugs. SO PLEASE, WITH SUGAR ON TOP, LEAVE THE BLOG IF YOU HAVE TO. it wouldn’t make this place any less enjoyable!

  4. instagram @cmortenson says:
    October 7, 2012 at 8:49 pm

    you guys who are give chase shit for this post should suck it, i’m on so much meth right now i can’t even feel my eyelids with this fork!

  5. Pingback: Friday Favorites | Studio6or7

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