California Lutheran University’s largest-ever exhibit features two centuries of international psychedelic art ranging from famous album covers to religious paintings.
“The Otherworld,” curated by Cal Lutheran art professor Michael Pearce of Thousand Oaks, is on display in the William Rolland Gallery of Fine Art through Feb. 3.
All of the art depicts alternative visions of the world. Some of the visions were brought on by drugs like peyote, marijuana and LSD; others were spiritual or religious visualizations.
Included are a Japanese woodblock print from the 1800s, hallucinogenic-influenced art from the mid-20th century, and digital prints representing a new frontier for contemporary artists. While links to drugs once stifled appreciation for psychedelic art, changing laws and societal norms have increased interest today.
