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Admire Van Gogh’s ‘Starry Night’ In A New Light With This Hypnotic Illusion
By Mikelle Leow, 28 Sep 2020
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Image via Bumble Dee / Shutterstock.com
It’s impossible to fully fathom what Vincent van Gogh saw when he painted the famous Starry Night, but one social media post might offer a smidge of how the troubled post-Impressionist felt during those moments.
In a video shared to a Van Gogh appreciation group by Facebook user Wilayat Mayi, a swirling black and white image is shown to hover the masterpiece. As you can tell, the spiral resembles those found in the night sky of the Van Gogh artwork.
Viewers are encouraged to stare at the mindbending illusion for 20 seconds before fixating on the Starry Night painting. This will prompt the night sky to seemingly spiral.
The uploader describes this as the “best way to enjoy” the art. While the statement is subjective, the optical illusion might once again have you starry-eyed at a view recognized by many around the world.
The swirling graphic is part of a visual phenomenon known as the “spiral aftereffect,” which, after prolonged exposure, causes other stimuli to look as if they are moving.
Stargazing never felt this trippy.
The best way to enjoy Van Gogh's painting "The Starry Night"
Posted by Wilayat Mayi on Monday, September 21, 2020
1.- Look at the spiral for 20 seconds without looking away .
2.- Look at the painting fixedly .
[via Vincent van Gogh Facebook group, cover image via Bumble Dee / Shutterstock.com]
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