Optical Illusions as Metaphors

This image is from the artist Shigeo Fukuda. (Source: http://blog.miragestudio7.com/2006/05/architecture-and-optical-illusion/) In case it it not entirely clear as to what this image is, let me explain. It is a photo of a sculpture and its reflection in an adjacent mirror. We can see a piano in the glass, but when we look at the thing from a different angle, we see a deformed monstrosity, bearing very little semblance to real a piano. Indeed, many who look at this photo will be incredulous that it hasn't been doctored in some way. It is hard to believe that the sculpture would look like a piano at any angle, but it does. We humans are wont to seeing things one and only one way. That this could actually look like a piano might be very hard for some to grasp (myself included!).
The topic of this assignment is focusing on the metaphorical or symbolical use of optical illusions. Like most artists, Shigeo did not go through the immense effort of making this work purely for the fun of it; he is sure to have a meaning behind it. What I believe Shigeo is trying to say is that something or someone can have an outward appearance, or façade if you will, that is deceptive as to its true nature. People can change how they act around other people, and behave and talk the way that they know they are expected to. This is just a front, and to approach them from a different angle, or to get closer to them, would be to expose their true character. The reflection of the piano looks perfect, and it has been made to look that way. What happens when we see the true form of the sculpture? What happens when someone lets slip a secret that they perhaps did not intend to disclose? We see the true character. How we interpret what we see is different to every individual. Some may look at the sculpture above, and their response could be, "Man, that is actually an ugly sculpture." It might, on the other hand, attract their imagination, inspire them. The idea is that we cannot always take what we see at face value. We should always inspect, investigate, endeavour to learn as much as we can about our world, in order to truly understand its wonders.

Of course, art is all about interpretation, and it's different for everyone! If anyone who reads this blog wants to leave comments on how they interpret this sculpture, then please feel free to do so!