Art of Darkness is a documentary about an artist named Bryan Lewis Saunders who has been drawing a self portrait everyday since 1995. The documentary was released on March 30, 2015, marking Saunders' 20-year anniversary of drawing a daily self-portrait. Through a series of candid interviews, this intimate film dives deep into his drawings, ideas, and the difficult things he's been through in life.
In one of these fascinating interviews (50:00) he talks about "The Drug Series," a time period where he began doing his self-portraits under the influence of various substances. The Drug Series is especially compelling to me because of the unique way that each drawing reflects a different altered state of consciousness.
Saunders' self portraits never fail to depict the emotions and inner state he was experiencing while drawing any given piece. He explains: "I had this feeling that filled my entire being, that no one way of interpreting myself should set the standard for the way I see the world." Saunders draws a portrait every day because, in his words, "today is not the same as yesterday."
From Youtube:
"In 1995 artist Bryan Lewis Saunders decided to do a self-portrait every day for the rest of his life. Twenty-five years later, he has never missed a day. Art of Darkness, a feature film documentary on Bryan's incredible journey is now available internationally. Many people will know Bryan from his "drug series" of self-portraits where, as a month-long art experiment, he drew himself under the influence of a myriad of mind-altering drugs. But that's only a small part; a glimpse into Bryan Lewis Saunders' mesmerizing journey through the Art of Darkness."
