Based in Beijing, Chinese artist Xia Xiaowan uses color pencils to draw distorted figures on tinted glass panels. By placing each panel at a short distance in front of one another, he is able to create the illusion of his drawings being trapped in each panel. Creepy and haunting, these ‘spatial paintings’ blur the boundaries between dimensions and challenge the traditional notion of what makes up a painting.
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Portland-based multi-disciplinary artist Damien Gilley specializes in mind-boggling sculptures that warp our sense of space with powerful optical illusions. Using simple materials like masking tape, paint, vinyl and wood, he is able to construct incredibly realistic pieces that allow the viewer to perceive dents and protrusions where there is actually only flat surfaces. These sculptures also often make use of fake walls to create the illusion of three-dimensionality—viewed from a distance, it can be very difficult to see which parts of the sculpture are two-dimensional and which are actually extending out from the walls.
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British artist Mark Roberts creates realistic looking dummies, dresses them up and leaves them in various public places around the UK. Roberts places the dummies on street corners, benches, and even headfirst into trash cans. These dummies are intended to amuse the public but are also realistic enough to potentially confuse passers-by.
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