Using Ophthalmic Illusions to Stand Against Gun Violence in the Classroom

Given that her company is dedicated to creating new ophthalmic treatments, she included unusual ophthalmic illusions in the art piece. She utilized lenticular photography to create a holographic-like photo. When you look slightly to one side or the other image of the “blackboard” in the art piece, the message on the blackboard transitions from one set of words to another. This lenticular effect is similar to a holographic effect but makes use of a different light refracting process. In this case, one image of the blackboard reads “1999,” which is the year of the Columbine High School Shooting. Back then, school gun violence was “ATYPICAL” The second image of the blackboard reads “2018: A TYPICAL DAY AT SCHOOL” It sends shivers up the spine to think that school gun violence has switched from being “atypical” to “atypical” day at school over the last two decades.

The bloody scene in the artwork was created via the use of melted crayon wax. The crayons, representing students, are wrapped in multicultural colors. Of important note, all students, regardless of color, bleed red! This is also a type of optical illusion. Most people who view the art piece think that that the “blood” is red paint. But it is not. It is the melted wax of red crayons. People ask how did you do that if the “children” (represented by crayons) are enclothed in all different colors. This was accomplished by switching the covers of red crayons to the covers of other colored crayons. Zietchick Research Institute is very proud to have had this art piece displayed at the public health center–West Grand Neighborhood Organization–in Grand Rapids, MI, in October 2018, as part of ArtPrize, one of the most attended juried art events in the world. We are an organization against gun violence.