Marcella Giulia Lorenzi
An impossible object (or figure or world) is a type of optical
illusion. It consists of a two-dimensional figure which is instantly
and subconsciously interpreted by the visual system as representing a
projection of a three-dimensional object.
In most cases the impossibility becomes apparent after viewing the
figure for a few seconds. Although possible to represent in two
dimensions, it is not geometrically possible for such an object to
exist in the physical world.
The artist M. C. Escher created mathematically challenging artworks,
creating impossible figures, spaces and worlds. His drawings caught
the eyes and looked possible by perception, but were mathematically
impossible.
Dedicated to the memory of Prof. Mauro Francaviglia.
This artwork was inspired by the theme of an art exhibit I
participated to, "Man in the maze of life". In Paris I took many
pictures of the World Heritage Center, Palais de l'UNESCO. The
main building, designed by the architects B. Zehrfuss, M. Breuer
and P. L. Nervi, consists of seven floors forming a three-pointed
star.
My digital composition of photos is an impossibile world inspired
by the artwork of M. C. Escher "Ascending and Descending" 1960.
The "continuous staircase" was first presented in an article by L.
and R. Penrose in 1959: "Each part of the structure is acceptable
but the connexions are such that the picture, as a whole, is
inconsistent". Using B&W different dimensions make the
mathematically impossible seem possible.