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This is the fifth article in the Mind Matters series on the neuroscience behind visual illusions.
Scientists did not invent the vast majority of visual illusions. Rather, they are the work of visual artists, who have used their insights into the workings of the visual system to create visual illusions in their pieces of art. We have previously pointed out in our essays that, long before visual science existed as a formal discipline, artists had devised techniques to “trick” the brain into thinking that a flat canvas was three-dimensional, or that a series of brushstrokes in a still life was in fact a bowl of luscious fruit. Thus the visual arts have sometimes preceded the visual sciences in the discovery of fundamental vision principles, through the application of methodical—although perhaps more intuitive—research techniques. In this sense, art, illusions and visual science have always been implicitly linked.
It was only with the birth of the op art (for “optic art”) movement that visual illusions became a recognized art form. The movement arose simultaneously in Europe and the U.S. in the 1960s, and in 1964 Time magazine coined the term “op art.” This style became hugely popular after the Museum of Modern Art in 1965 held an exhibition called “The Responsive Eye.” In it, op artists explored many aspects of visual perception, such as the relations between geometrical shapes, variations on “impossible” figures that could not occur in reality, and illusions concerning brightness, color and shape perception. But “kinetic,” or motion, illusions drew particular interest. In these eye trick, stationary patterns give rise to the powerful but subjective perception of (illusory) motion.
The accompanying slides illustrate several works of art in which objects that are perfectly still appear to move. Moreover, they demonstrate that research in the visual arts can result in important findings about the visual system. Victor Vasarely, the founder of the op art movement, once said, “In basic research, intellectual rigor and sentimental freedom necessarily alternate”. Some of the illusions in this month’s slide show have been created by op artists; some by vision scientists honoring the op art tradition. But all of them make it obvious that in op art, the link between art and illusory perception is an artistic style in and of itself.
Are you a scientist? Have you recently read a peer-reviewed paper that you want to write about? Then contact Mind Matters editor Jonah Lehrer, the science writer behind the blog The Frontal Cortex and the book Proust Was a Neuroscientist.
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16 Comments
Add CommentThese optical illusions are so cool. I was very suprised by the fact that our eyes can move so fast. I think that the comment above me (vrkgeologist) is correct, our eyes move so fast and thedrawings are so intricately designed that as soon as we blink or move slightly, that picture appears to move as well. Try looking at the pictures without blinking or moving at all. They do not work very well or at all. The moving and blinking is what makes them optical illusions.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt is always so fascinating when art and science combine. I always have thought of art and science being two totally seperate ideas. But seeing these illusions, and the scientific explination behind it, makes it that more interesting. The eyes can work in mysteriuos ways, and can often distort the way we views things, and cause us to see different things. Those optical illusions hurt my eyes after looking at so many, but that further showed that my eyes were working and that the illusions were doing what they were suppose to do. Articles like these can always make me stop, and they are so amazing to read. Plus, I learned a lot of new information about my brain and my eyes, and how art can have a signifacant role in brain activity and eye movement. Also, I had no clue there were artists out there op artists. How do you become one?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisthat is kool
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisi think it is great and neat looking and it tells me how my eyes work
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisGreat story! I grew up enjoying these kinds of illusions at the Exploratorium. They're now available online at http://www.exploratorium.edu/exhibits/f_exhibits.html. And I also grew up to work there =)
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisFor some reason I typically don't see motion in kinetic illusions. For me only 3, 6 and 14 have any motion, the others are simply flat drawings. Can anyone explain why this might be happening?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt is possible that the motion is caused by the angle with which both eyes are receiving information. If a person has monocular vision, using one eye at a time, it may be similar to a lack of depth perception. Do you find similar difficulty with images viewed with the 3-D "glasses"?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNo, 3-D in all its various flavors has always works for me.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIllusions 3, 10, 11, 14 had apretty strong impact on me but 12 was different than described. Instead of motion I got red at the edges of the black lines. None of the other illusions caused anything but vague impressions of motion or change that were not strong enough to classify. Just an additional note, I'm wearing trifocals.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYou can see all those illusions & more in "What Are You Looking at", ISBN: 1847321836 ( http://www.amazon.com/What-Are-You-Looking-at/ ) and "Curiopticals", ISBN: 1847322298 ( http://www.amazon.com/Curiopticals-Gianni-Sarcone/ ).
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYou can see all those illusions & more in "What Are You Looking at", ISBN: 1847321836 ( http://www.amazon.com/What-Are-You-Looking-at/ ) and "Curiopticals", ISBN: 1847322298 ( http://www.amazon.com/Curiopticals-Gianni-Sarcone/ ).
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWonderful illusions which, in this case, do happen to be appropriately named "optical" since they emerge due to eye movement effects.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHave you ever seen somebody lick the chutney spoon in an Indian Restaurant and put it back ? This would never have happened under the Tories.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHrm...that is odd...I don't see any of the illusions as they are described. They look as is...as if looking at a Zebra. Unless he was actually in -motion-. I read the other comments about the analogous depth perception and being able to view these...but honestly, I have no problems with 3D viewing, tripping over curbs, driving my car (and parking it) schizophrenia, autism etc...?! Weird.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisOh...interesting to note though, I have recently lost some peripheral vision on one side, and I am scheduled for CT scan this week. When I was young, I also had Strabismus...maybe this is why?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI always love a good optical illusion. I have been Exploring Illusions for the last decade and have some of the images online at:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://exploring-illusions.com
Hope you enjoy the illusions. -GR