One of my illusions from the late ’90s. Take a look at the colorful umbrellas in Figures A and B of the table below—are they the same or different? About 80% of people will say that Umbrella A has jagged, zigzag edges, while Umbrella B has a smooth, wavy outline. But here’s the trick—you’ve been fooled by the brightness contrast of the rays inside the umbrellas. In reality, both umbrellas are identical in shape, perfectly congruent.
This illusion works even when only the lines of the shapes are emphasized. As demonstrated in the table below, the outline of Umbrella A appears jagged and zigzagged, while Umbrella B seems to have, once again, a smooth, wavy outline.
This illusion shows a phenomenon called curvature blindness, which was rediscovered in 2017 by Japanese psychologist Kohske Takahashi. He created a powerful variant and studied its impact on how we perceive shapes.
Colors are not as fixed as they seem. The red you see might not be the same red someone else perceives. Your brain constantly interprets colors based on their surroundings, which can lead to surprising illusions.
Take this experiment inspired by the Munker-White effect: all the gray bars in the striped patterns are actually the same shade. Yet, next to blue lines, they appear bluish; beside mixed colors, they seem to shift tones. This is known as color assimilation—where a color takes on the influence of its neighbors.
The same illusion explains simultaneous brightness contrast. In the wine-pouring examples below, the liquid seems to change color in the glass. But actually, the red remains unchanged.
Here’s a simple animated variant of my project: Hard to believe, but the flow of wine stays the same shade of red all the way—from the bottle’s neck, through the pour, and even inside the glass. It’s only your perception that changes!
Even more striking—when cyan lines replace black ones, the liquid pouring from the bottle is actually gray from start to finish, yet it appears to turn into red wine in the glass. In reality, the red is just an illusion—your brain fills in the missing color where none exists.
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While technology may expand globally and permeate every facet of our daily lives, CULTURE, with a capital C, will inevitably remain rooted in specific places and times. It cannot be universal because its true essence lies precisely in that uniqueness. The idea of an “open culture” is a fallacy, as such a concept would erase its own meaning. While some cultures may appear inclusive, this openness always occurs within the boundaries of their own identity, preserving their core values and norms. A striking example of this is the ancient Romans, who, rather than resisting, embraced and integrated elements from civilizations radically different from their own into their laws, religion, language, cuisine, and daily life. This process reflects their remarkable ability to absorb and enrich their culture without betraying it—a true feat.
Another aspect of culture is that, like us, it too is destined to die. At some point in history, it fades away gradually or disappears abruptly. Furthermore, it is impossible to measure a culture from within, much like the eye that can see but cannot look at itself. It is through the lens of an outside perspective—another culture—that we can evaluate it. It is difficult to have an objective view of one’s own culture without reducing it to superficialities. Confronting cultures without falling into the trap of simplistic analogies or discrimination is no easy task, but it is achievable if we abandon preconceived notions.
The darker side of culture lies in its expansionism, which can easily slip into hegemony. It’s important to emphasize that hegemony is not the same as universality. While expansionism imposes and overwhelms, universality reflects shared values that connect cultures without erasing their uniqueness. Throughout history, people have embraced dominant cultures—sometimes abandoning their own—either because they were fashionable or aligned with the spirit of the times. But where do we draw the line between natural influence and disguised colonialism? Consider the global reach of American pop culture, shaping tastes and behaviors worldwide, while some traditions persist, resisting this wave of uniformity.
Multiculturalism, often touted as an ideal by well-meaning elites, obscures a fundamental truth: a culture, like a living organism, inevitably seeks to assert itself at the expense of others. It feeds, grows, and struggles to find its place in an ever-moving, chaotic world.
In the world of contemporary art, the concept of invisibility has become an imaginative playground for creativity. Here’s a glimpse into some intriguing—and often humorous or haunting—examples of invisible artworks that challenge our perceptions and redefine what art can be.
This installation featured an empty room with two air conditioning units, emphasizing that the true art lies in the feelings and conversations it inspires. Talk about a cool concept!
Byars designed a pitch-black room, inviting visitors to contemplate emptiness. It’s like stepping into a fridge at midnight—dark and full of existential questions.
Barry’s artwork consisted of thoughts communicated mentally to visitors. A reminder that sometimes art is all about connection—without any visual representation!
Warhol’s intangible sculpture, presented atop a white pedestal, exemplifies the idea that art can exist without form, challenging us to think beyond traditional boundaries.
I’m pleased to announce that my work Apparition will be featured in the 6th volume of Taschen’s Library of Esoterica, set to release in early 2025.
This portrait, created by combining photographs of 50 different human faces, presents a ghostly image that endlessly shifts its features as you look at it. The effect is driven by the neural adaptation phenomenon, similar to Troxler fading, along with the brain’s face-recognition circuits, which complete the image.
You can explore this piece and more with prints available from my online gallery.
For a deeper dive, visit Spirit Worldshere to explore art, rituals, and myths from hidden realms.
After the world lost its mind over a duct-taped banana selling for over $6 million, I present to you: the duct-taped Italian sausage. Stylishly Italian, delightfully produit du terroir, and—let’s be honest—way more practical. I’m aiming for at least $66 million at auction because, unlike a banana that turns into compost in a week, a fermented sausage can outlive your art collection.
Sure, the banana sparked debates and grabbed international headlines since its debut at Art Basel Miami Beach in 2019. And hey, I’m all for a good debate—it keeps things interesting. But let’s be real: the world is full of rich fools willing to throw stupid money at stupid things just because everyone’s talking about them. So, here’s hoping my sausage can inspire the same level of ridiculous hype. Fingers crossed!
Sabato 21 dicembre ti aspettiamo alla Mostra delle Illusioni di Genova per “Paradossal…mente“, il laboratorio interattivo sulla percezione visiva che ho ideato e che guiderò personalmente. Non mancare!
I partecipanti saranno attivamente coinvolti in esperienze che mettono alla prova le percezioni: scopriranno illusioni ottiche inedite, creeranno giochi percettivi sconcertanti e indagheranno vari paradossi e misteri della mente e del sistema visivo. Ogni esperienza invita a riflettere su come il cervello può “ingannarci” o lasciarsi influenzare da ciò che lo circonda
Durata del laboratorio: 1 ora circaIl Materiale per il laboratorio creativo sarà fornito direttamente dalla Mostra delle Illusioni.
At first glance, they seem to be the same, but take a closer look… Can you spot what’s wrong?
I’ve always been fascinated by impossible figures, which psychologists call “undecidable figures”, meaning visual representations that challenge our perception and understanding of reality. Since the late 1980s, I’ve continued to explore this field and create new illusions, producing a series of drawings that play with the third dimension, manipulating perspectives and proportions to create original visual effects.
My work draws inspiration from two masters of optical art and impossible objects: Josef Albers and Oscar Reutersvärd. Their innovations and creations have always inspired and motivated me to continue my research in this field.
Does the color of wine change when poured into a glass? Although it may appear darker, the red shade remains the same. This visual trick is a result of the Munker-White illusion—where our brain perceives colors differently depending on their surrounding context.
If you’re fascinated by puzzles like this, reach out to my syndication agent to feature them in your publication.
This op art piece is also available as prints and canvases in my online gallery.
Embarking on a journey in a Klein bottle? Absolutely. A Klein bottle is a mind-bending non-orientable surface, defying the usual inside-outside norms. Technically, the ship’s navigating the interior…
