A Psychedelic Experience, No Drugs Required.

As a wannabe hippie (the 1960s version) The Psychedelic Experience Exhibit now at the Denver Art Museum is probably as close as I'll ever get to realizing my dream. Therefore I really liked it. I think those of you out there with more realistic goals could like it too if you take your time and look at the right posters.

First of all, it's worth it to read the artist information and information about the promoters and venues. Stories always add to the interest factor.

The exhibit starts with memorabilia from the Day-Glo days of Ken Kesey, The Merry Pranksters and the Acid Tests. Click for the condensed version of who these wack-a-doos are but if you can read hard to follow books with extraordinary speed, check out Tom Wolfe's The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Tests.

The most interesting pieces are optical illusion pieces that at first glance may just look like gibberish or more simplistic than they really are. Especially those of artist Victor Moscoso whose use of color contrast to display text it mind-bogglingly fun. We had a game of it trying to read the entire poster. Lee Conkiln's optical illusions are pictures within pictures. It's worth it to stand around and stare at their pieces and see things others miss while merely glancing around.

Also worth a visit is the Side-Trip where you can create your own poster or light show, listen to albums, chill on the couch or in a pillow-lined bathtub and leaf through a 1960s yearbook or LIFE magazine.

The exhibit only goes through July 21st so hurry up and make the trip! (pun intended, har har)