Passenger News: An Artist Painted a Self-Portrait Every Day Under the Influence of a Different Drug and Ended Up with Brain Damage

In 1995, artist Bryan Lewis Saunders began creating at least one self-portrait every day. But in 2000, he decided to embark on a bold and provocative experiment called "Under The Influence." Each day, Saunders took a different drug or psychoactive substance, documenting the experience with a self-portrait. The outcome of this experiment left a profound mark on him, leading to brain damage, although not irreversible.

The "Under The Influence" project saw Saunders exploring how each substance affected his perception of self, with effects ranging from mental confusion to "psychomotor retardation." Despite the serious consequences, the artist claimed the brain damage was "mild" and not permanent, although the experience changed him forever.

Over the years, his project has included other extreme challenges: one of which was staying blind for 30 days and creating daily self-portraits. However, more recently, Saunders has focused on safer, controlled experiments, only taking medications prescribed by doctors.

During the experiment, Saunders used a wide range of substances, including heroin, methamphetamine, LSD, DMT, alcohol, opioids, and many more, visually documenting how these affected his mental and physical state. The result is a series of portraits that showcase the psychological and physical distortion caused by the use of these substances.

Even today, the artist continues to explore the boundary between perception and reality, but with more cautious and mindful approaches. His work has attracted attention from art critics and the public, raising questions about the relationship between art, mind-altering substances, and risk.

If you're interested in seeing some of his most stunning and unsettling creations, you can find his portraits on his website and in documentaries like Art of Darkness. His work challenges us to reflect on the dangers and depths of the human psyche, defying both artistic and medical conventions.

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Bryan Lewis Sauders has been documenting his experiences with different drugs and intoxicants in the form of expressive self-portraits. Each drawing was created under the influence, and he says he’s “suffered mild brain damage” from the experiment. Below are 50 of his self-portraits.