A Mind-Bending 2D Optical Illusion House by Roy Lichtenstein That Looks Like a Moving 3D Structure

“House I” is a mind-bending, forced-perspective optical illusion by pop art pioneer Roy Lichtenstein. The “house” is a static two-dimensional structure that appears to be a moving three-dimensional structure when seen from different angles. The “house” is on display in the Sculpture Garden at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC.

House I, exploits the illusionistic effects of a third dimension. The side of the house seems to project toward the viewer while actually receding into space. As a result, the object appears to move as you move past it. This intentionally plays with the laws of parallax, which govern the perspective of an observer moving past a fixed scene.

“House I” was conceived in 1996 and fabricated in 1998. It was the first in his “House” series and a big departure from his typical style of artwork.

Roy Lichtenstein may be best known for his 1960s pop art paintings based on advertisements and comic strips, yet he also produced a significant body of sculpture, including large-scale works designed for the outdoors. House I incorporates the hallmarks of the artist’s style: crisp, elemental forms, heavy black outlines, and a palette based on primary colors

Here’s “House III” from the series, which sits at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta.

via Boing Boing

Lori Dorn
Lori Dorn

Lori is a Laughing Squid Contributing Editor based in New York City who has been writing blog posts for over a decade. She also enjoys making jewelry, playing guitar, taking photos and mixing craft cocktails.

Recent Posts