Written by Billy O’Brien
Alchemy Resonance. Digital. Images courtesy courtesy of the artist
Who is Archan Nair?
Archan Nair is a visual artist and illustrator from New Delhi, who uses mixed media to communicate the beautiful landscapes in his mind. In 2007, he began his career as an artist, collaborating over the years with brands and artists from Nike and Red Bull to Kanye West and Lindsay Lohan. Archan seems to be tapping into a source of inspiration that can only be described as psychedelic, and if you ask him what he is taking to inspire such visions, his reply will astound you.
Flutterby (featuring Lindsay Lohan). Mixed Media, photography and digital
Archan is 100% sober, and has never used a substance to alter his perception. He has never indulged in a psychedelic substance, let alone an drink or cigarette. His source of inspiration relies on a mixture of Yoga and Pranayama. Instead of indulging in social settings to inspire him, Archan chooses to research the mind bending concepts of quantum physics, lucid dreaming, and the Fibonacci sequence.
Despite having done work with commercial brands and celebrities, his work has flown under the radar, while growing cult following of individuals that wonder where he gets his source of inspiration. The fact that he doesn’t use any substance to assist his vision has only created more interest from his fanbase who want to learn how they can use his techniques to reach this level of creative awareness.
Iris Drops. Digital
“Creating art is a natural extension of meditation for me and a way that I can tap into a psychedelic state naturally. It just takes patience. Psychedelic drugs tune your brain into that frequency instantly. We can tap into that naturally, but it takes longer. For me, it’s a choice, I don’t want to take a shortcut. It’s about making the journey to that state a part of my daily life. For me that’s more exciting,” he said.
Nair doesn’t think less of people that do take psychedelic substances. “I think that can be amazing for people. It causes them to ask questions about reality and guides them. It reveals the larger picture. There is much more to the world than physical reality and there are dimensions that we can access through psychedelics. I think people should experience that state. We are so attached to the physical that it does help some people to take a substance to let go of that.”
Devouring the Stars. Digital
The artist first had his mind blown when he discovered Graham Hancock and his work researching altered states and ancient civilizations.
“It’s funny, when you find answers to some of the questions you’ve asked, you just find more questions. Your realize that the universe is designed in such a beautiful way, you come across the fractals and sacred geometry and mathematics. It never ends. It’s beyond a high to contemplate these things.
“When I practice yoga, in a half an hour I can get disconnected from the world and zoned out. It’s at that point that I can connect with the source. I start to feel what’s real and what’s illusion. I follow yoga with pranayama because I am already vibrating at such a high frequency. Pranayama lets my brain form a satellite connection to a higher vibration until my whole head is thrumming,” he said.
Moasis. Digital
For the rest of us, may we be inspired by the fact that we can all achieve this vibrational frequency if we choose to follow the teachings of specific disciplines and look within. We discovered these psychedelic compounds to help us see what our potential is, or at least offer a glimpse of what our reality is capable of seeing. Yet, the greatest source of our own divinity comes from an analysis of the subconscious mind communicated through art, providing a path to manifest our dreams into form.
Originally posted @ Evolve & Ascend
