Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD)

Original watercolour A4.

About the Artwork

These paintings explore the delicate dance between chemistry and memory. Each molecule is painted at the center, with birds and flowers surrounding it-symbols of memories that flutter in and out of reach. The birds carry the fleeting, fragile quality of a thought realled, while the flowers echo the organic, ever-shifting landscape of the mind. Together, they form a visual metaphor for how the brain translates molecular signals into lived experiences.

LSD (C20H25N3O) acts as a subtle disruptor in the brain, binding to serotonin receptors (especially 5-HT) and loosening the boundaries between neural networks. This increased connectivity makes learning more associative than precise, allowing new links to form between ideas, sensations, and memories. Rather than simply strengthening memory, LSD reshapes it, as stored experiences can reemerge with vivid, emotional intensity, enhancing insight but also making new memories less stable and more fragmented.