Aakash Nihalani enjoys bending minds and transporting them—if, only for a second—out of their comfortable realities, and into temporary zones of possibility. Few visuals are more mind-melting than good ol' fashioned optical illusions, and Nihalani has been masterfully placing these unexpected enigmas around New York City for a long time.Today, the Wunderkammern Museum is the next target for Nihalani's trippy brand of self-expression: his new exhibit, Vantage, debuted on April 5th, and he's been building and shattering illusions for museum goers ever since. One piece within Vantage is called Field (Pink), a 40-inch-tall composite of tape, canvas, and magnets which looks like three long prisms, trailing off into the distance. Upon closer inspection, one realizes this seeming sculpture is made up of flat paintings, and that Nihalani has created one of the most convincing illusions ever seen.The power of Field (Pink) lies in the inescabableness of its illusion: even as you watch its construction in the above GIF, you can't help but fall for Nihalani's trick. On his website, the artist says he is, "trying to offer people a chance to step into a different New York than they are used to seeing, and in turn, momentarily escape from routine schedules and lives." Illusions are traditionally cited in philosophical discourse as great reasons to question the nature of reality as a whole, and Field (Pink) makes those questions even easier to ask. Descartes, Hume, and Hunter S. Thompson would surely be proud of the good work that Nihalani is doing—his illusions are real, but the giant lizards I saw in the elevator this morning aren't… right?Below, Field (Pink) in all its elusive glory:
Images viaH/t to Eyescreamsunday
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