ABSTRACT:
Artists and designers from past and present were aware of the shimmering effect produced by black and white visual patterns. In this talk, I would like to share new scientific insight into the underlying cause of the shimmering effect and its relation to visual perception in general. I would also like to show how this new insight reinvigorates an appraisal of the related art. In particular, I would like to show how fine shagrin motifs in traditional Japanese textile design brought some dazzle to garments that were otherwise doomed to dullness, as decreed by laws on conspicuous consumption in feudal Japan. A painting by op artist Bridget Riley will also be analyzed, to show how her artistic vision finds expression in scientific terms.
BIOGRAPHY:
Gert van Tonder specializes in the scientific understanding of human visual perception. Combining a life long passion for oil painting, moss gardening and the natural world with formal training in electronic engineering and human visual perception, he has contributed new insights into low level vision, shape perception, and the scientific underpinnings of visual effects used in art and design. Gert is currently an independent researcher, invited by the Laboratory of Psychology at Kyoto University to present a course on visual perception and aesthetics in 2016. His graduate course on aesthetics and visual perception in Japanese garden design is regularly hosted by Stanford, Princeton and Zurich Universities. His work has been widely recognized, appearing in global media, including BBC, CNN, NHK World, and The New York Times.