In class on Thursday Oct. 8th, we had an in-depth conversation on the idea of meta-images and what they can mean to the viewer, illustrator, etc.. "Meta" is a prefix that can be attached to any number of words, which suggests to itself and the conventions of its genre. These "metapictures" do not only refer back to the fact that they, themselves, are pictures, they also allow the viewer to play a sort of game with the image and further interact with its components. I have always been a huge fan of optical illusions. These mesmerizing representations of what is and what is not really there are able to capture the attention of any individual who has enough patience to truly dissect its elements. Above all, however, optical illusions are designed to make the observer think about what they are looking at. Then, when you really think you've solved this visual puzzle, the pictures does a complete 180 and you find yourself lost again in the perplexing image. M.C. Escher may be one of the most famous artists who is able to successfully convey such ambiguity through contorted perspectives and creative uses of light and shadow. In one of his most famous paintings, "Drawing Hands," Escher portrays two different hands, each one looking as if they are drawing the other. The illusion in this pictures is that the viewer is unable do decipher which hand is the drawing and which hand is actually doing the drawing. The fact is, however, that both hands are a part of the drawing.

http://randomknowledge.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/drawinghands.jpg

A similar effect is used in his drawing “Hand With Reflecting Sphere.” In this drawing, a hand is seen holding a reflecting sphere (go figure) and in the reflection, the man holding the sphere is seen looking into the ball. This picture, like “Drawing Hands,” is interesting because when looked at once, all we can see is the hand holding the ball, but when looked at again, we are able to see who is holding the ball. It is as if we, the viewer, are looking at the sphere from the old mans perspective. I spent a lot of time looking at this drawing. It’s really fascinating what different things Escher could portray using different perspectives in his drawings.

http://www.marekczeszek.com/sitemap/adrem/adrem-16/escher-sphere.jpg