Marijuana has been getting a lot of attention these past few years. People have been arguing back and forth about the substance's possible health benefits, effects on the criminal justice system, and potential for harm.
One thing you may be surprised to learn that marijuana has been used for is art. Marijuana art is a phenomenon that's been growing in popularity with the legalization movement.
Before anyone jumps to conclusions, we should clarify that marijuana artwork does not mean it was created while someone was high on THC. In theory, they could've been, but that's not what it's about.
Simply put, it's art that is dedicated to marijuana, its use, strains, and any other aspect. Some of them are downright beautiful, and we'll talk more about them in the paragraphs below.
1. Stona Lisa
There are a few variations on this theme, but the main idea is taking Da Vinci's classic painting and adding some reference to cannabis.
The strangest thing about this interpretation is that it may have been historically possible. The Mona Lisa was painted early in
the 16th century, and marijuana had already made its way into the Middle East and North Africa by that time, and European scholars were studying it for possible medical uses.
Weed use among Europeans at that time can be more closely compared to CBD than recreational marijuana. You may be wondering:
does CBD oil get you high? Spoiler alert: it does not.
That being said, there is little to suggest that is was being used recreationally by Europeans, although the Muslim world had embraced recreational weed, largely due to a loophole.
Though there are passages against drinking and gambling, marijuana is
never specifically cited in the Quran. It seems to be implied, but a good portion of the population was not deterred.
It's also worth noting that marijuana already had a history of use by various groups in the Middle East, so the more conservative community was fighting history.
2. Spliff Packs by Melanie Bernier
This is another variation on a theme. One of the adorable storage containers created by these artists takes the shape of a box of crayons.
Using a crayon box to hold weed is not a new idea. A few other artists have done similar pieces, though most have done paintings rather than creating an actual pack.
The idea makes sense. Joints are about the same size and shape of crayons, and crayon boxes look somewhat similar to cigarette packs.
Regardless of the inspiration behind the art, it makes for a great conversation piece. Also, if your state has legalized weed, it could be used as a container.
3. Weeding the Lawn
Technically, the image shows a guy mowing a lawn of marijuana, but weeding seemed like a more fitting play on words.
Much like Spliff Packs, this is an interesting 3D piece of art. It's a miniature sculpture of a man running a lawnmower towards a small pile of marijuana.
It's an interesting concept, though you can imagine any stoner would be appalled if this happened. Seriously, you have a lawn made of weed. This seems like a waste.
Also, they'd wonder why you're not sharing. That seems like way too much for you to use yourself.
Furthermore, some estimates say that you would need 1,500 pounds of marijuana in 15 minutes to die. Assuming the guy mowing his lawn is average height and weight, it might not be a good idea for him to personally consume all that weed.
Does this guy's yard have rabbits in it? Do you think it has all the town's rabbits? What do those rabbits look like after munching on weed all day?
All jokes aside, this would make a great little display and another conversation piece. The biggest issue would be trying to make sure nobody steals the weed lawn that gives this entire piece meaning.
4. Cannabis Tree
This is another theme in cannabis art. It uses marijuana buds to create the shape of a tree. Some take the idea even further and add something to the tree.
Oftentimes, this takes the form of mixed media art, with the tree itself made from marijuana buds, while the other aspects can be anything from pencil drawings to paint or even sculptures.
One example even has a child on a swing that's been hung from the marijuana tree. That's an interesting example of parenting.
On one hand, it is a natural substance that's basically harmless and medically useful. It's also a recreational substance, which isn't the best thing to expose children to.
5. American Stoner
Much like the Mona Lisa, Grant Wood's American Gothic has been parodied time and again. This time, the marijuana artwork community has put their spin on it.
These versions reimagine the iconic couple as stoners standing in front of a house.
What's interesting about American Gothic was painted near the start of the Great Depression in 1930. Marijuana was first made illegal in the US 7 years later, in what was probably one of the most poorly-timed legal actions in history.
It's also starting to come full-circle in a weird way. The campaign that made marijuana illegal was largely motivated by racial tensions and Mexican immigration. Now, marijuana is starting to become more accepted during yet another era of high racial tensions and issues with immigration.
6. Smoking Jellyfish
The next entry on our list is also a mixed media piece. The original image is a photograph of a woman exhaling smoke. However, the image of the smoke itself has been altered to resemble jellyfish.
It's a gorgeous and amazing piece, although jellyfish seems like a random choice to go with. It fits well, but it makes you ask why jellyfish, specifically.
All the same, it's a great image and an awesome example of what can be done with photographs and digital technology. Plus, the black and white seem to enhance the picture and add something that would be lost in a color photo.
Pictures like this are often done in black and white, and it's easy to see why.
7. Bob Ross Painting Trees
This one has arisen for a few reasons. It comes from a mixture of stoner culture and popular culture.
We already know that marijuana is becoming a hot-button topic these days, but Bob Ross is as well. His iconic paintings and positive attitude are turning him into a modern guru and role model.
There may be any number of reasons for this, but a big one seems to be a desire to return to simplicity. In a world where our politics and identities are creating a world as conflicted as it was during the 1960s, we want to hold onto something seemingly universal.
The constants we've chosen to cling to are positivity and kindness. Bob Ross' landscape paintings and soft-spoken demeanor have become a symbol for those values.
One of his favorite phrases, 'happy little trees,' features prominently in works by marijuana artists, even though Ross never publicly expressed any views for or against the substance.
8. Cannabis Chemistry
Among those interested in chemistry, there is a joke that involves using the equation for a molecule of a favorite thing, such as sugar or caffeine. Cannabis artists have adopted this and made art showing a cannabis molecule.
Conveniently, the name THC gives you some info on how to do this.
Tetrahydrocannabinol can be deciphered if you know some chemistry terms. Tetra is Latin for 4 and hydro means Hydrogen.
Thus THC is a cannabinol molecule combined with four atoms of hydrogen.
Others have taken a different approach and recreated the periodic table of elements with different strains of cannabis. It makes you wonder how this was organized.
The periodic table is very complex. It's put in order of atomic number, but there are also sub-categories like noble gases and alkaline metals. It has to take a lot of knowledge of cannabis strains to create something similar.
The Beauty of Marijuana Artwork
There are a lot of great offerings in the field of marijuana artwork. We've mentioned only a few of them in the paragraphs above, but there are a lot more out there. We encourage you to do more research on your own if you're interested.
Also, if you're interested in making marijuana art yourself, go ahead and try. You may turn out to be good at it.
If you want more information and advice about art, are interested in museums and artists, please visit our site.
