Using an array of pharmaceutical, hallucinogenic, and medicinal herbs interspersed with paint, magazine and book cut-outs of hands, eyes, butterflies, and spiders, all coated in layers of clear resin, Tomaselli creates visually dazzling pieces that raise the question of whether the act of ingesting chemicals and the visual pleasures of looking at art are parallel experiences transporting one into another reality. Tomaselli says of his work, "Painting has traditionally been seen as a window onto another reality, a kind of rectangular utopia of relief. I am interested in the relationship between this myth and the broader culture that contains it...my work aims to be escapist while simultaneously exploring the perceptual and cultural dynamics of escapism." From the Series:What Follows