CMU School of Drama


Friday, October 07, 2022

Optical Illusion Art Installation Flattens 3D Into 2D

mymodernmet.com: Artist Anastasia Parmson has turned 3D into 2D by way of installation art. Her immersive homey interior consists of white-washed walls, flooring, and furniture outlined in thick black lines. Everything—from the wood grain on the vinyl floor to the leaves in a vase—is outlined in paint.

10 comments:

Alex Reinard said...

I'm glad I decided to comment on this article, because Barnes' work absolutely blew my mind. In addition to demonstrating impressive skill and use of line, the art really is "3D to 2D", like the article says. I mean, I spent a good 60 seconds or so just looking at the cover photo before even reading the article. The photos towards the bottom of the page were less confusing and trippy, but it's still very impressive. I think I was most confused because all of the people in the photos seem to have no shadows, so they look superimposed on the photographs. I wish the article had gone into a little more depth on how the art itself was made, what material it was made from, and so on. More so, though, I would absolutely love to move through an installation, or see a video of moving through an installation.

Jordan Pincus said...

It is so interesting that the meaning behind this work is to recreate homey spaces and bring people together - you could interpret the colorless aesthetic as otherwise. But I see that the idea here is that you’re “drawing” or recreating the home. There’s a photo that includes the mirror in the room, and I will say, looking at the mirror is so trippy. You understand looking in the room that it’s all drawn, but something about the mirror in the room makes it really look like there’s a filter on the world. I find interesting the choices made as for what to paint in full 3D and what to make a kind of cardboard cutout. The chairs are real painted chairs, as are the tables. However, there are plants on the wall that are flat, as well as a hatstand, and hat and coats. Regardless, this illusion is super effective, and it is true that being in the space doesn’t ruin the illusion, but enhances it. It really looks like people are being green-screened in. I have to wonder how long it took to create this room. And at that, how it was installed - did she paint it all at once in the location, or did she paint things individually in a different location and then assemble everything at once?

Hailey Garza said...

This is such a trippy but cool space. I don’t know if I’d want to have it in my home, but the concept behind it is really neat. I’ve seen a few pieces of art where they transform small things from 3D to 2D but this is a whole other level. The creator states that this piece “explores the meaning of home and belonging” and I agree that this really does do that. It makes you think about your home and what you find familiar, and then makes you think about how you feel about a home-space being transformed to look just like a drawing. There is so much detail in this piece and I really liked looking at the scale models as well as the actual pictures of the rooms. It also reminds me of some work we’ve been doing in our drawing class, making 3D into 2D, but this is the exact opposite of that which is very neat.

Sukie Wang said...

This piece of work is really interesting and the title of this article does also attract readers. Through the title of this article, I thought it would be related to 3-D printing and how it relates to AI art, which is another topic that has been widely discussed on the internet. However, when I clicked into the website, it is different and interesting at the same time. Sara Barnes is extremely talented and how she uses like in this piece of work is extremely impressive. The structure of the pots and table with lines that are used to decorate and show the structure “tricks” audience’s eyes into thinking that it is a 2D shape. In addition, the strong contrast between black and white focuses audience to see them at the same time and further strengthens the feeling of a 2D shape while it is a 3D shape in real life.

DMSunderland said...

Very interesting. I love the looks of these rooms. It has a very monochromatic cell shaded look to it which is very interesting.

It reminds me of a theatre I have long forgotten the name of. One show each season they put on a performance in, essentially, monochrome. Everything is shades of grey, including the lighting, The pictures I have seen really sell the illusion and, as much as I enjoy strong expressions of vibrant colors, I think we often sleep on the simplicity of monochrome. And not in the greyscale sense, but art where it is one color, very strongly represented at moments that are heightened by the color in question. Special mention to split complementary design as well. I am a sucker for eye candy lighting and coloring but as I get older I really have fond feeling towards simplicity in color choice. To round out the comment, check out the art direction for a game called Gris.

Rayya Gracy said...

This artist is absolutely incredible! I absolutely adore how the artist, Anastasia Parmson, strives to create a space that is familiar to an individual when having to move around from place to place. I've only seen this form of drawing within sketchbooks, which is why I find it so fascinating for it to be put into a realism perspective. It is as if everything around you is now your own personal coloring book that your living in, and you can decide how you choose to interpret and "color in" your space. Also the ability to create this effect through just incorporating black lines is outstanding. I feel as if in order to achieve this look within the home décor in which the artist has crafted it takes a lot of attention to detail in terms of determining the thickness, placement, spacing and overall look of the black lines incorporated on this blank white canvas. I would love to have a part of my house decorated to mimic this artist style of painting. It would make me feel so much more immersed within my space and evoke a since of child-like wonder!

Maureen Pace said...

I think I’ve seen something about Parmson’s work before but I don’t know where… but in any case, this is so cool! I love the designs of the installations she has made, I can’t imagine what it is like to be in that space. She said her art revolves around the ideas of home and belonging, and I’m intrigued by the connection between those ideas and the installations. Home & belonging is something I think about often, as someone who has also moved a lot in the last 5 years. The installations look like pretty classic Western Europe/North American family rooms, and do bring out a sense of comfort and familiarity. The contrast of that with the lack of any kind of color is interesting to me. Also, it feels like it would be like stepping into a drawing or picture book. Another thought I had: I’m wondering how they light these exhibitions, because shadow would make a big difference on how the installation is viewed.

Gemma said...

This art is so cool! I love optical illusions, and the way Anastasia Parmson manipulates light, space and texture to create optical illusions is beyond cool. This to me looks like a comic book, and being able to go and see one of these art pieces would be interesting - I feel like a 3D person walking into what is effectively a 2D space would be really wild. I really love the idea of exploring home and belonging through these relatively “simple” spaces. The piece seems cold and empty until you insert yourself and others into it, creating home and a space together. I would love to explore how this art is made and the time and steps that go into it because I’m sure it’s very involved. The effect it gives is so strong - and reminds me of an artist whose name I do not remember that paints people to look 2D and a part of paintings (kind of the opposite effect to here).

CrimsonCreeks said...

I truly love how art can be done in so many forms. From 2D to 3D, to oil paints to pencil to charcoal, to digital, to artificial intelligence. I truly do adore the way artists blend these concepts together to create something marvellous. When pushing bounds we tend to think about what is acceptable. However; we should aim to go even further and push the bounds of the status quo. As artists, the job is always top push bounds and what we are told is the way things should be. Through art that reinvents reality we can find that there is really a thing beyond what we see. A part of why this art installation is so effective is because the artist made sure to spin something recognizable into something new. In effect flipping what we knew upside down. I adore it. Anastasia Parmson recreated a home and living room through a 3D immersive art installation that is created through 2D furniture. In essence a merge of two seamingless vastly different mediums.

Madison Gold said...

I really love this art and the effect that it has. Constantly throughout history we have tried to make 2D art seem 3D. To make something on a flat page come to life and feel tangible. You can see how techniques improved over thousands of years to be able to create realism. I love that Parmson flipped that concept and tried to make the 3D into 2D. I would love to be able to go to this installation and I think that there is something really intriguing about setting her design concept in a home and the way that this really cool thing is also kind of unsettling. Making something that is supposed to be so warm and inviting stark black and white and lack a bit a detail. I do wonder how much time and what kind of resources go into make an installation like this. I wish there was little more about that in the article.