Born on the south side of Chicago in 1989, I came from a family of creative people. A creative environment incubated my interested in art at a young age, but life didn’t start until my first psychedelic mushroom experience at the age of 16. It was my initiation, and was of profound significance. I’d awoken in a way to the potential that was already within myself. But amnesia set in quickly and when the afterglow faded I found a huge fascination in this area of exploration. Leading to my intereste in psychedelic culture and the artists, musicians, and thinkers that surrounded these transformative tools.

I am no longer afraid to speak openly about how psychedelics have impacted me, and how the war on drugs has damaged many. From unexpectedly effulgent enlightenment, to ego shattering despair, psychedelics have played a major role in the development of my artistic practice and worldview.

As science emerges and fear based hysteria resides around these tools especially in a therapeutic context, I hope my art and voice can help play a part in the demystification and legitimization of these radically inspiring and therapeutic materials, known as the modern day psychedelic renaissance.

In Gratitude,

Paul Mez