Modern art

My Dossier on Visual Illusions: A Special Feature in Focus Magazine

Gianni Sarcone

For over 10 years, I’ve had the pleasure of collaborating with Focus, an Italian monthly popular science magazine published in Milan.

In October 2020, Focus released issue #336, which featured my article and optical illusions. This special edition included a 10-page dossier on visual perception, showcasing over 13 original illusions I created, complete with explanations.

The cover of this issue also featured a unique effect I designed for Focus. As you read the main title, the cover image moves, and, intriguingly, the title changes depending on your perspective—read closely, and it says ILLUSIONI; look from a distance, and it transforms into COSA VEDI?

Focus Mag cover

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Amazing Illusive Bookmark

Gianni Sarcone

Here is a neat optical illusion project I was commissioned by “Art of Play“. From one perspective, the grooves in the metal die-cut bookmark seem to be an abstract design but place the pattern against a solid background and a familiar figure pops into view!

Available from: https://www.artofplay.com/products/einstein-bookmark

Everything is relative with this magical bookmark depicting Albert Einstein.

Mondrian Meets… (My Tribute To Mondrian)

Gianni Sarcone

Here are two projects involving the geometrical-constructive art of Piet Mondrian, one of my preferred artists, the golden ratio and ϕ. For this purpose, I used the same color palette favored by Mondrian: yellow, red, blue, black and gray.

Mondrian meets Pythagoras and Fibonacci

In the first project, I used squares, that are proportional to each other by the golden ratio or ϕ, to prove the Pythagorean theorem as shown in the Zhoubi Suanjing (or Chou Pei Suan Ching – 周髀算經), one of the oldest Chinese mathematical texts (circa b.c. 200).

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Swedish Chiaro-Scuro

Gianni Sarcone

“Bathers”, incredible etchings by Swedish artist Anders Zorn (1860-1920). Zorn pursued light as the guiding principle of his art. The expression of light on the human form and his beloved homeland was the foundation of his work, and drove him with an intensity visible in the details from his multiple etchings.
Magnifiques eau-fortes (dessins au trait) par l’artiste suédois Anders Zorn.

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