- Source: Gianni A. Sarcone
Gianni A. Sarcone (born March 20, 1962) is a visual artist and author who collaborates with educational publications, writing articles and columns on topics related to art, science, and mathematics education. He has contributed to several science magazines, including Focus Junior (Italy), Query-CICAP (Italy), Rivista Magia (Italy), Alice & Bob / Bocconi University (Italy), Brain Games (USA), and Tangente (France). Sarcone has over 30 years of experience as a designer and researcher in the areas of visual creativity, recreational mathematics and educational games.
Visual research
Considered a leading authority on visual perception by academic institutions, Sarcone was invited to serve as a juror at the Third Annual "Best Illusion of the Year Contest" held in Sarasota, Florida (USA). His optical illusion projects 'Mask of Love' and 'Autokinetic Illusion' were named among the top 10 best optical illusions in the 2011 and 2014 "Best Illusion of the Year Contests", respectively. In 2017, he placed third in the contest for his ‘Dynamic Müller-Lyer Illusion’.
Amongst other notable projects, he created and designed an “hypnoptical” visual illusion that was used in the logo and institutional signage of the 2014 Grec Festival of Barcelona, a significant cultural event featuring avant-garde musical, dance, and theater performances.
His joint work, “Moona Lisa”, a mosaic of lunar images that, when viewed from a distance, forms the iconic portrait of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, was featured as NASA’s Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD) twice: on October 16, 2021, and again on September 14, 2024, in celebration of International Observe the Moon Night.
Since May 16, 2022, in honor of the International Day of Light established by UNESCO, the University of Florence (UniFi) has permanently hosted Sarcone's optical art works in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in Sesto Fiorentino. This exhibition, titled “Enlightening Mind”, is freely accessible and organized by the Degree Course in Optics and Optometry.
Honors and awards
Educational project
G. Sarcone has authored and published numerous educational textbooks and illustrated books in English, French and Italian on brain training and the mechanism of vision. He is the founder of Archimedes-lab.org a consulting network of experts specializing in improving and enhancing creativity - for which he has been commended with a long list of accolades and awards, including the 2003 Scientific American Sci/Tech Web Award in Mathematics and received recognition in the US from: CNN Headline News, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and NewScientist.com.
Media and broadcasting
Some of Sarcone's artworks such as The Other Face of Paris or Flashing Star have gone viral on the Internet.
His works were also presented in several national and international television programs, including 'Rai 3' Italy, 'RTL 9 Channel' France, 'TSR 1 Channel' Switzerland, and in the following TV series:
‘Nippon Television Network’ / NTV (Japan): "Fukashigi"; Japanese: 不可思議探偵団 (2012).
‘National Geographic Television’ (US): "Brain Games Science" (2014).
‘Beyond Production’ PTY LTD (Australia): "Wild But True" – Season 1 (2014).
"Masahiro Nakai’s Useful Library" show, a widely followed Japanese TV program (June, 2015).
Selected works
Bibliography
= Recent published works (2014-20)
=G. Sarcone is the author (and co-author) of the following books:
Fantastic Optical Illusions: More Than 150 Deceptive Images and Visual Tricks, Carlton, UK, 2020, ISBN 178739235X.
Ultimate Eye Twisters, Carlton, UK, 2019, ISBN 1783124482.
Amazing Optical Illusions, Carlton, UK, 2018, ISBN 1787391639.
Optical Illusions, QED Publishing, UK, 2017, ISBN 1784938475.
You Can't Possibly Color This!, Moondance Press, US, 2017, ISBN 1633223515.
How to draw incredible optical illusions, Imagine Publishing, US, 2015, ISBN 1623540607.
Xtreme Illusions 2, National Geographic Kids, US, 2015, ISBN 978-1-4263-1974-7
Super Optical Illusions, Carlton Kids, UK, 2014, ISBN 1783120851
Hidden Picture Puzzles, Imagine Publishing, US, 2014, ISBN 1623540380
Optical Illusions: An Eye-Popping Extravaganza of Visual Tricks, Dover Publications, US, 2014, ISBN 0486493547
Impossible Colouring Book: Can You Colour These Amazing Visual Illusions?, Arcturus Publishing, UK, 2014, ISBN 178212182X
Make Your Own 3D Illusions - 3D illusions pack: All You Need to Build 50 Great Illusions, Carlton Books, UK, 2014, ISBN 1780974817
Impossible Folding Puzzles and Other Mathematical Paradoxes, Dover Publications, US, 2014, ISBN 0486493512
= Non-fiction books in other languages
=Les millors il·lusions òptiques, Editorial Brúixola, Spain, 2020, ISBN 8499062962
Las mejores ilusiones ópticas, Editorial Bruño, Spain, 2020, ISBN 846962721X
Optične iluzije, Tehniška Založba Slovenije D.d., Slovenia, 2019, ISBN 9789612514464
Ilusões Óticas, Booksmile, Portugal, 2019, ISBN 9789897076589
Varázslatos optikai csalódások, Ventus Libro Kiadó, Hungary, 2019, ISBN 9786155755439
Optische illusies, Lantaarn Publishers, Netherlands, 2019, ISBN 9789463543101
Ilusões de ótica, Quarto (Nobel), Brazil, 2018, ISBN 9780857625533
Optische Illusionen, Ars Edition, Germany, 2018, ISBN 9783845826592
Illusions d’optique, Fleurus, France, 2018, ISBN 2215136839
錯視の魔術, Kyouikugageki, Japan, 2018, ISBN 4774621277
Optiska illusioner , Ordalaget, Sweden, 2018, ISBN 9789174692211
Illusioni ottiche, Armenia, Italy, 2018, ISBN 8834432290
Vertigo: 50 Schwindelerregende Optische Illusionen, Moses Verlag, Germany, 2016, ISBN 3897779072
Optische Täuschungen XXL, Ars Edition, Germany, 2016, ISBN 3845816007
謎解き錯視 傑作135選 (135 Mysterious Optic Artworks to Solve), Sogen-Sha, Japan, 2015, ISBN 4422700987
Libro para colorear figuras imposibles, Editorial HISPANO EUROPEA, Spain, 2014, ISBN 8425521106
3D Optiset Harhat, Readme.fi, Finland, 2014, ISBN 9789522209115
Incroyables Illusions d’Optique, Ça m’intéresse, France, 2014, ISBN 2810413274
50 Illusions d’Optique 3D, Editions Ça m’intéresse, France, 2014, ISBN 2810412685
Illusions - Coloriage Créatif, Editions Bravo, Canada, 2014, ISBN 2896701729
图中奥秘 : 挑战脑力的错视图 (Amazing Visual Illusions), Qingdao Shi, China, 2013, ISBN 9787543690998
图有玄机 : 挑战眼力的错视图 (The World of Visual Illusions), Qingdao Shi, China, 2013, ISBN 9787543690257
Le Cabinet des Illusions d’Optique : 100 Illusions Stupéfiantes, Editions Fleurus, France, 2013, ISBN 2215147407
Удивительные оптические иллюзии (Amazing Visual Illusions), Art-Rodnik, Russian Federation, 2013, ISBN 978-5-4449-0048-2
Рисуем оптические иллюзии (Drawing Optical Illusions), Art-Rodnik, Russian Federation, 2013, ISBN 978-5-4449-0050-5
Kiehtovat Optiset Harhat, Kustannusosakeyhtiö Nemo, Finland, 2013, ISBN 978-952-240-195-3
Optische Illusionen, Ars Edition, Germany, 2013, ISBN 3760791301
Pliages, découpages et magie, Editions Pole, France, 2012, ISBN 2848841656
De wonderlijke wereld van de optische illusies, Deltas Centrale uitgeverij, The Netherlands, 2012, ISBN 9789044734164
Unglaubliche Optische Illusionen, Verlag an der Este, Germany, 2012, Artikel-Nr.: 019435
Spectaculaire Optische Illusies, Uitgeverij Atrium, The Netherlands, 2011, ISBN 9789059473607
L’étrange univers des illusions d’optique, Editions Fleurus, France, 2011, ISBN 978 2215 11012 5
Ilusiones Opticas, Circulo de Lectores Barcelona, Spain, 2010, ISBN 8467237414
Fantasticas ilusiones opticas, Editorial Libsa Sa, Spain, 2010, ISBN 8466221255
Optische Täuschungen, Bassermann F., Germany, 2009, ISBN 380942398X
Fantastische Optische Illusionen, Tosa Verlagsgesellschaft, Germany, 2008, ISBN 3850031926
FantaLogica, Edizioni La Meridiana, Italy, 2009, ISBN 8861530923
Neue Optische Illusionen, Weltbild, Germany, 2008, ISBN 3828952798
阿基米德视幻觉游戏 (Archimedes' Visual Illusion Games), China Friendship Publishing Company, China, 2007, ISBN 9787505723467
视幻觉 (Optical illusions), China Friendship Publishing Company, China, 2007, ISBN 9787505723047
Optische Illusionen, Weltbild, Germany, 2006, ISBN 3828921264
Niewe Optische Illusies, BZZTOH, The Netherlands, 2006, ISBN 9045304732
Nouvelles Illusions d’Optique, France Loisirs, France, 2006, ISBN 2744192368
MateMagica, Edizioni La Meridiana, Italy, 2005, ISBN 8889197560
L’Almanach du Mathématicien en herbe, Editions Archimède, France, 2002, ISBN 2844690254
La Couleur dans tous ses états, Editions Yva Peyret, France, 1995, ISBN 2-8308-0029-X
Personal life
Sarcone has practiced and continues to practice various Martial arts and Combat sports, including Yoseikan budō, Kickboxing, Jujutsu), and holds a black belt in Taekwondo.
References
Related links
Neuroscience
Op art
Optical illusion
Visual thinking
Thinking outside the box
Recreational mathematics
Best Illusion of the Year Contest
External links
Official website
These Patterns Move But It’s All An Illusion by G. Sarcone
The Optical Illusion That Makes Static Lines Look Like They're Pulsing
G. Sarcone's autokinetic illusions on Scene 360
Archimedes-lab.org
Rivista Magia
2011 Best Visual Illusions of the Year
2014 Best Visual Illusions of the Year
'Mask of Love' illusion by G. Sarcone
G. Sarcone’s biography and bibliography on Amazon
Sarcone’s works on Artstack gallery
Sarcone’s autokinetic pictures on Saatchi online