Let’s be honest: drugs are responsible for some of the world’s greatest art. From Robert Louis Stevenson to The Beatles to Snoop Dogg, artists of every stripe have long used intoxicants to alter their perceptions of reality and show us things we’ve never seen before.

Bryan Lewis Saunders is a multi-hyphenate creative who’s been a performance artist, videographer, poet, and painter, and the way drug use has influence art inspired him to attempt a unique and dangerous project: painting 30 self-portraits while on 30 different drugs. “Today we live in a narcissistic and obsessive culture, totally overflowing with drugs,” he explained in an interview. “And as an artist I am the filter.”

It should go without saying, but don’t try this yourself. Some of the substances listed below are incredibly dangerous for human beings, and only qualify as “narcotics” if you’re really, really desperate. Even a professional drug-taker like Saunders had to adjust his painting schedule after the experiment led to lethargy and “mild” brain damage.

The result is a unique, weird series of paintings, and a reminder that under the right circumstances, our brains can come up with some crazy weird shit.

1. Absinthe, small glass

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

2. Nicotine gum, 2mg

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

3. Adderall, 10mg

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

4. Marijuana

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

5. Valium, 20mg

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

6. Hash

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

7. Klonopin, 3mg

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

8. Abilify, Xanax, Ativan

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

9. Ambien, 10mg

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

10. Hydrocodone and Oxycodone, 7.5mg

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

11. Psilocybin Mushroom Caps

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

12. Buspar, 15mg

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

13. Huffing gasoline

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

14. Huffing lighter fluid

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

15. Huffing computer cleaner

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

16. Crystal meth

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

17. Butane honey oil

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

18. Cocaine, .5g

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

19. Butalbitals

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

20. Cough syrup, 2 bottles

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

21. Bath salts

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

22. Snorting heroin

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

23. DMT, during and after

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

24. Salvia divinorum

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

25. Nitrous oxide, and a Valium I.V.

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

26. Morphine I.V.

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

27. 1 Shot of Dilaudid, 3 Shots Of Morphine

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

28. Dilaudid, 4mg

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

29. 25I-NBOMe

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

30. Geodon, 60mg

Photo Credit: Bryan Lewis Saunders

 

h/t: Ranker