Art with Art, Fun with Fun

The art of M. C. Escher is a testimony to the power of play. His love of the impossibility of illusion and the rigors of mathematics. His delight in the lifelong dance between mastery and mystery. His sense of wonder. He explains: "I don't grow up. In me is the small child of my early days." A visit to this gallery of his works is powerful enough evidence of his dedication to the sheer ambiguity of it all.

Recently, I came across this remarkable animation by Christobal Villa. It is a stunningly beautiful tribute to Escher and a remarkable achievement, adding yet more wonder and more play to an already wonderfully playful art work. Villa plays with the illusion of the Snake painting (illustrated above), giving it light and motion and delicate mystery. The use of Erik Satie's music adds wonder to wonder, making the whole thing, well, wonderful.

Then there's this jigsaw puzzle. I appreciated how all the pieces are in their proper orientation, reducing unnecessary tedium and adding a level of clarity to the puzzle. But I appreciated even more that here was yet another work of play, playing with yet another.

Finally, here's a site with some remarkable examples of Escher-inspired origami. Equally jaw-dropping-worthy craftspersonship, equally adding fun to fun, illusion to illusion, art to art.

Bernie DeKoven, funsmith