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Mark McCloud and the Institute of Illegal Images

Mark McCloud's collection, also known as the "Institute of Illegal Images" is the most comprehensive collection of decorated LSD blotter paper in the world. As such, the collection has been the target of two criminal trials where McCloud was forced to defend not only the collection, but also his own liberty. The story behind these events is best told by journalists:

The Art of Acid by Andy Soma for Seconds Magazine, Issue #5 - 1988 – "Examples of true American folk art, like whittling."

Acid House by Jack Shafer for SF Weekly

Adventures in Wonderland, Weirdness comes calling in the Kansas City trial of a San Francisco acid lover by Casey Logan for Pitch.com

It's Not Acid, It's Art! in Artnet News, 4/9/01 – "After a two-week-long trial in federal court in Kansas City, Mo., San Francisco artist Mark McCloud -- notorious in the annals of psychedelic art for his 25-year-long quest to compile a complete collection of LSD blotter art -- was acquitted by a local jury of felony charges of conspiracy to distribute LSD."

Dr. Hofmann's problem child turns 58 by Chris Colin for Salon.com

Acid Art That's Finger Trippin' Good by Piers Townley, for British magazine, Loaded

LSD Blotter Art by Thomas Lyttle, for MAPS (Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies) Bulletin volume xiv number 1 summer 2004, also see the article in PDF format with pictures:

LSD-Artefakte, das Unsichtbare sichtbar machen by Dr. Christian Rätsch for the Entheogene: Blätter Issue - Ausgabe 11 – April / 2003, click here for a PDF version of the magazine:

Alucinarte by Alfredo García for PunksUnidos.com

MindStates IV Review by RevMeO, June, 2003 edited & published by Erowid, Feb. 2004
"Mark McCloud -- the blotter art man -- presented the most fun speech/slideshow of the conference. The art was fantastic and his notations about each piece often led to humorous anecdotes. He also came bearing gifts (simple blotter art) - that's always a crowd pleaser."

D!verse Work Gallery – "Once (1987 or '88) hosted an exhibit of acid blotter art curated by Mark McCloud... ", Houston, Texas

The Kingdoms of Elgaland & Vargaland Official Embassies & Consulates – The Consulate in the Headlands, California, USA, was inaugurated in April 1995 for the Open House at the Headlands Center for the Arts, San Francisco ... "Acid blotter art was handed out by the Ambassador in San Francisco, Mark McCloud"

Gone – A Showing of Blotter Acid Art Curated by Mark McCloud at the Rico Gallery In Santa Monica, "A comprehensive historical survey of the most renowned and mind bending blotter acid art of the 1960s through 1990s. This exhibition features selected works from the world's largest collection of blotter acid art."

Cabinet Magazine: Greatest Hits: The Art of Blotter Acid Tune in, turn on, drop out. Issue #8 "Pharmacopia" "The above example of blotter art—with its two-side printing depicting the beginning of Alice's "trip" through the looking glass and representing 900 doses—was created by Mark McCloud, who, with the possible exception of the FBI, owns the world's largest collection of (now LSD-free) blotter."

Made Magazine, Issue 20 - A quarterly, hard-cover magazine out of Vancouver BC devotes sixteen pages to an interview with Mark and a selection of Blotter Barn images.

The Spirit of Basel, International Symposium on the Occasion of the 100th Birthday of Albert Hofmann - "On the occasion of the 100th birthday of Dr. Albert Hofmann on 11 January 2006, the Gaia Media Foundation stages an International Symposium on the most widely known and most controversial discovery of this outstanding scientist… experts will present an in-depth review of all aspects of this unique phenomenon, informing and discussing history, experiences, implications, assess the risks and benefits of this most potent of all psychoactive substances. LSD -  a challenge in the past, now, and in the future." Mark is honored to be amongst the confirmed speakers for this upcoming event.

(from L to R in both pictures) Albert Hofmann, Dieter Hagenbach (organizer for the Symposium), & Mark McCloud.
Mark recalls Mr. Hofmann saying to him, "Nice collection!".

 



Mark demonstrates the 'perf machine' for students from CCA who are visiting the Institute of Illegal Images



Mark in Basel at the conference experiencing a 'dream come true'