Optometry college painting gives a different perspective

CHICAGO (WLS) -- The Illinois College of Optometry unveiled a painting Wednesday morning that tricks the eyes and gives a new perspective.

The wall art, called "Our favorite space," is a 3-dimensional "reverspective" created by Sepideh Omidghaemi, an optometry student, and her twin Saeideh Omidghaemi, a Los Angeles-based artist.

"It is a painting in perspective but the perspective fools you," said Sepideh, who will graduate from the college this week. "So it tricks the mind. You think what you're seeing but it isn't exactly what you're seeing."

Reverspective art was first done in the 1960s by an English artist named Patrick Hughes. Since then, almost no one has been able to duplicate it until now.

In a reverspective piece, the images that appear farthest away are actually the closest. In the painting, there is a man who looks like he's down a hallway, when in fact, he's actually 12 inches off the wall.

"You have to dance around the painting," Saeideh said. "So basically you go right to left, up and down, do a really nice dance to see the full effects of the painting."

Saeideh adds: "We still don't have the science to understand why this happens to our brain. Why can't we condition ourselves to see the small things in front and see that it's 3-D objects in front instead of in back."

The sisters, who left Iran about 15 years ago, spent a year working on the piece, researching and testing different techniques to get the perfect effect. The sisters said there are no books that they could use as guides for making a reverspective like Hughes did.

"This has been a long journey," Sepideh said.

To schedule an appointment to view the painting, contact the Illinois College of Optometry at kolson@ico.edu or (312) 949-7000.