Flight

Flying Ointment is a compound of psychoactive plant materials mixed in a base of animal fats, the alkaloids of which are absorbed through the skin creating an entheogenic experience. These mixtures feature frequently in the trial records of accused witchcraft practitioners during the witch-craze of Early Modern Europe.
It was believed that Flying Ointment allowed witches to “fly” to their Sabbath rituals. Visions of black animals were commonly
reported, as well as tales of having attended bonfires, feasts, orgies, and ecstatic dances.

18" x 24"
Single colour hand-pulled silkscreen print on French Paper

Atropa belladonna

Atropa belladonna contains high amounts of the alkaloids hyoscyamine and atropine. Hallucinations caused by Belladonna are typically confusing and unsettling, and often cause one to feel they have changed physical form.

18" x 24"
3 colour hand-pulled silkscreen print on French Paper
Edition of 6

Datura stramonium

Datura stramonium contains the alkaloids atropine, hyoscyamine, and scopolamine. Datura intoxication can last up to two weeks, and
causes erratic behavior, paranoia, and delirium, coupled with a severe sensitivity to light. Like Belladonna, Datura can make the intoxicated feel like they have changed physical form, typically
into that of a prey animal due to the paranoia causing a feeling of being hunted.

18" x 24"
2 colour hand-pulled silkscreen print on French Paper
Edition of 10

Papaver somniferum

Papaver somniferum contains the opiate alkaloids morphene and codeine, which unlike Belladonna, Datura, and Mandrake, cause the
intoxicated to fall into a peacefull, dreamlike state. It is possible that Papaver somniferum was included in flying ointment recipes in order to counteract paranoia and other unpleasant side effects caused by hallucinogenic plants.

18" x 24"
3 colour hand-pulled silkscreen print on French Paper
Edition of 8

Mandragora officinarum

Mandragora officinarum contains very high amounts of the alkaloid scopolomine, which causes an accelerated heart rate, blurred vision and intense hallucinations in the intoxicated. Old folktales state that mandrake could only be safely harvested by tying the top of the root to a black dog and waiting for the dog to pull the plant itself, as the screams of the unearthed mandrake were lethal to human ears.