Optical illusions cause one to take a step back and look at the image again, it sometimes confuses, amazes and makes one wonder about the illusion. These images greatly differ from that of reality. It is a blend of what is real and imagination. Optical illusions work in different ways and may aim for different outcomes. Some illusions can be seen by looking at the image from a different angle thus creating a completely new picture within the same image and some needs time to be searched and examined.

Illusion originates from the Latin word “illudere” meaning “to mock” which is exactly what optical illusions do. It mocks the eyes and the brain through creating a three-dimensional work from a two-dimensional art.

Rob Gonsalves is a Canadian artist who has produced mind-boggling optical illusion art. He creates magic and realism from a unique perspective. It was in Gonsalves’ childhood where he developed an interest towards art and using his imagination and making them come to life through various types of art.

Artists Dali and Tanguy were his inspiration and upon being introduced to these two, he started creating his own original art. He produced surreal images of imagined buildings and human activities. The typical realistic scenes that can be seen from his paintings are fused with a sense of mystery and impossibility. It causes the need to once again examine the art and determine which is real and which is not.

Gonsalves’ art seem to fuse two pictures together in the most unlikely way such as making a group of women dressed in hauntingly white cloth seem like they are flowing water cascading from a waterfalls or a group of people standing on another’s shoulders to create a railway with a train about to pass by. Gonsalves’ has produced more than 70 paintings and is still looking into creating more enigmatic pieces of art.

Click here to see Rob Gonsalves' works.

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