The 1960’s counterculture movement is known for its anti-establishment ideology, human rights advocacy, and psychoactive drug experimentation. The introduction and usage of mind-altering drugs, most commonly LSD, produced some of the most popular psychedelic artists of the ’60s, such as Wes Wilson, Victor Moscoso, and Rick Griffin.
A wave of technological advances in the 1990s gave birth to the Digital Age, which allowed an even broader scope of artistic expression, thanks to computer programs. These new tools gave way to a psychedelic revival, as well as a boom in graffiti art, raves, and the production of a new drug: MDMA (Ecstacy). Here’s where Alex Grey comes in. Although he wasn’t active until the ’70s, he’s listed second on the recommended list when looking up ‘psychedelic artists’, even before Wes Wilson!
Alex Grey was introduced to LSD by his professor at a party. Since that night, he has dedicated his life to studying and depicting every layer of the human experience: metaphysical, tangible, emotional, and spiritual. His studying went as far as preparing cadavers for dissection at Harvard Medical School’s anatomy department. Although much of his early art was created while on psychedelic influence, he and his wife rarely partake nowadays.
Sources:
https://www.alexgrey.com/art
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alex_Grey