2007 Press Release For immediate release For press inquiries, please contact [email protected] Horizons: Contemporary perspectives on psychedelics October 27, 2007 from 12pm - 8pm at Judson Memorial Church, 55 Washington Square South, New York, NY 10012. Learn more at http://www.horizonsnyc.org/. Horizons is an afternoon of learning about psychedelics with presentations and a multimedia art exhibition. Psychedelics are a unique class of psychoactive drugs that have been used by humans since time immemorial. Millions of people in every corner of the globe have used them to alter their consciousness in search of introspective contemplation, spiritual insights, creative exploration and physical and psychological healing. In the early 20th century, psychedelics were an obscure curiosity for psychologists and academics. During the 1960s, psychedelics entered worldwide popular culture. Fueled by the wild social dogmas of the era, recreational use become commonplace. Questions about their safety, medical value, history and implications in politics and culture were unfortunately answered with numerous myths spread by both the media and their users. The freewheeling sixties are now a distant memory and the hype of the millennial rave fever has finally been laid to rest. Horizons seeks to open a fresh dialogue about psychedelics and challenges the 21st century to rethink their role in history, culture, medicine, spirituality and art. The speakers are (in alphabetical order) Kenneth Alper MD, Rick Doblin Ph.D, Neal Goldsmith Ph.D, Alex & Allyson Grey, Charles Grob MD, Julie Holland MD, Michael Mithoefer MD, Ethan Nadelmann Ph.D and Andrew Sewell MD. Horizons includes a multimedia art exhibition with some of New York City's most creative contemporary artists. The artwork explores themes of psychedelia, whether directly as a subject matter or an influence of the artist. In addition to traditional visual art and sculpture, large scale interactive installations designed to encourage participation are included. The artists are (in alphabetical order) Garrison Buxton, Ray Cross, Seze Devres, Scott Draves, Nick Hallett, Robert Horansky, Image Node, Anakin Koenig, Leif Krinkle, Aaron Taylor Kuffner, Deniz Kurtel, Zach Layton, Gerald Marks, Brock Monroe, Peripheral Media Projects, Todd Polenberg, Douglas Ruuska, Betty Taopat Kao, Leo Villareal, James Vogel and John Walter. Horizons is a non profit event sponsored by the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS, http://www.maps.org/). Profits from the event will be distributed to 501c3 organizations affilliated with the speakers and artists. MAPS assists scientists to design, fund, obtain approval for and report on studies into the risks and benefits of MDMA, psychedelic drugs and marijuana. Its mission is to sponsor scientific research designed to develop psychedelics and marijuana into FDA-approved prescription medicines, and to educate the public honestly about the risks and benefits of these drugs. The venue, Judson Memorial Church, is a historically signifigant location. Judson Memorial Church is a national landmark with a long history of promoting the arts and free speech. Notable artists whose works has been exhibited at Judson include Claes Oldenburg, Robert Rauschenberg, Yoko Ono and Twyla Tharp. It also has a deep commitment to social justice. It is actively involved in projects that promote immigrants' rights, fair trade, gay rights, pacificism, drug abuse harm reduction, healthcare reform and aid to the homeless. For more information about the speakers including biographies and abstracts, please see http://www.horizonsnyc.org/bios.html For more information about the artists including biographies and project descriptions, please see http://www.horizonsnyc.org/art.html |
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