Hejduk and Optical Illusion

The project aims to explore the relationship between figures, spaces, and, ultimately, the essence of these concepts following John Hejduk’s ideas. The concepts of "Flatten Space" and "Masque," in particular, inspired this experiment. His works and sketches demonstrate a multidimensional representational approach, sparking interest in intriguing visual phenomena emerging from the transition between three-dimensional space and two-dimensional expressions. This captivates our gaze and compels us to reconsider the 'existence' of space or elements through sketches. In his publications, such as "Berlin" and "Vladivostok," Hejduk infuses the soul into each figure, activating them as performers to act for his poetic writing. These series of performers’ Axonometric sketches are juxtaposed with 2D sketches in the book, illustrating the essential viewing angles of each masque. This signifies contemplation on each masque’s essence of existence, how they act, and experimentation with novel perspectives. Ideas for the project developed from one of his latest works, "Cathedral." Pieces of his figures and conventional works adhere to and penetrate walls, seeking harmonies and fantastical spaces that previously existed individually as each performer. The operation disassembles and reassembles his elements, arranging them three-dimensionally, akin to his Cathedral idea sketch, and finally rotates. During this process, a phenomenon occurs where manipulations diminish from 3D to 2D, giving rise to optical illusions. This representation challenges our complete acceptance of relationships, eliciting new reactions to our way of visual perception.