Description
Printed Trompe L’Oeil: Urban Visual TricksTrompe l’oeil, French for “eye-deceiver,” refers to an art historical tradition in painting and murals designed to fool the eye into perceiving something as real. Today, printed trompe l’oeil has shifted away from its art-centered origins to become a practical tool in urban landscapes, accessible to ordinary people (e.g., printed forest images on construction site fences).
My presentation will include the following sections:
1. Case Studies. I will share several representative examples from a collection of 200 digital cases, such as:
a) Printed images of forests pasted on construction site fences;
b) Projected figures of virtual guides at airports;
c) Printed food images placed in Tupperware containers. This section aims to define the term “printed trompe l’oeil” and explore questions about image representation and illusion in urban life.
2. Inspiration from Artistic Tradition. By comparing modern printed trompe l’oeil with the traditional painting technique, this section will examine the evolution of this visual trick. I will explore the balance between virtuality and reality, referencing visual theories (e.g., Baudrillard) to argue that printed trompe l’oeil has diverged from traditional art. In practical applications, this technique functions as a tool for concealment, embellishment, and decoration in urban spaces, offering a quick and cost-effective way to create visual completeness. It reflects a subjective, idealistic approach in today’s image-saturated world, serving practical psychological needs. Drawing on several researchers’ arguments, I will argue that people are not truly deceived by printed trompe l’oeil; rather, they engage with it in a realistic manner.
3. Trompe L’Oeil as a Method in Contemporary Art. Numerous contemporary artists incorporate trompe l’oeil techniques into installations, hotography, media art, and performance. By analyzing their work, I will explore the connections between visual theory and artistic practice.
| Period | 7 Mar 2025 |
|---|---|
| Event title | Imagining Reality: Symposium on synthography and artificial photorealistic imaging |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Hong Kong, ChinaShow on map |