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[1] (Italy), Query-CICAP (Italy), Rivista Magia (Italy), Alice & Bob / Bocconi University (Italy), Brain Games (USA), and Tangente[2] (France). Sarcone has over 30 years of experience as a designer and researcher in the areas of visual creativity, recreational mathematics and educational games.
Here are two relative size illusions described by Italian visual researcher Gianni A. Sarcone in 1997 and 2013. The first relative-size illusion called Sarcone's Crosses contradicts Ebbinghaus illusion (aka Titchener Circles, 1898) and Obonai square illusion (1954). Sarcone's cross illusion consists of a cross (the test shape) surrounded by sets of squares of distinct size (the inducing shapes). As shown in the diagram, the three blue crosses in fig. 1.a, 1.b and 1.c are exactly the same size; the one on the left (fig. 1.a), however, appears larger. The illusion works even when the small squares completely occlude the blue cross (see fig. 1.c). In conclusion, there isn't always correlation between the size of the surrounding shapes and the relative size perception of the test shape. In fig. 2.a and 2.b, by effect of assimilation, the diagonal red line within the large ellipse seems subjectively longer, but in fact the blue line is objectively the longest of both lines.
Considered a leading authority on visual perception by academic institutions, Sarcone was invited to serve as a juror[4] at the Third Annual "Best Illusion of the Year Contest" held in Sarasota, Florida (USA). His optical illusion projects 'Mask of Love'[5] and 'Autokinetic Illusion'[6] 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’. [7]
Amongst other notable projects, he created and designed an “hypnoptical”[8] visual illusion that was used in the logo and institutional signage of the 2014 Grec Festival of Barcelona,[9] a significant cultural event featuring avant-garde musical, dance, and theater performances.
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”,[12] is freely accessible and organized by the Degree Course in Optics and Optometry.
G. Sarcone has authored and published numerous educational textbooks and illustrated books[18] in English, French and Italian on brain training and the mechanism of vision. He is the founder of Archimedes-lab.org[19] 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[20] in Mathematics and received recognition[21] in the US from: CNN Headline News, National Council of Teachers of Mathematics (NCTM), and NewScientist.com.[22]
Notable inventions
Sarcone has developed a number of visual puzzles, games, and conceptual objects that combine elements of geometry, color, perception, and philosophical reflection, often grounded in mathematical principles.
Quirinus – The Amazing Paradoxical Puzzle (1992) – A 16-piece geometric puzzle from the *Quadrix* series that presents a vanishing-area paradox: an additional square appears to fit within a completed shape without altering its perceived dimensions.[23]
TangraMagic Puzzle – A reimagined ten-piece tangram that introduces L-shaped elements and a small square to produce an optical illusion of area disappearance. The puzzle includes a 20-page illustrated booklet designed for educational and recreational use.[24]
Trama – A two-player abstract strategy game designed in the early 1990s. Played on a triangular board with black, white, and neutral gray pieces, the game introduces a shared neutral component that adds a layer of tactical depth.[25]
Architempo – The Hological Watch – A conceptual watch using a two-color pattern to visually represent the passage of time in an hourglass-like display. Conceived in the late 1980s, the design explores alternative ways of perceiving time through graphical interaction.[26][27]
Media and broadcasting
Some of Sarcone's artworks such as The Other Face of Paris[28] or Flashing Star[29] 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’[30] (US): "Brain Games Science" (2014).
‘Beyond Production’ PTY LTD (Australia): "Wild But True" – Season 1 (2014).
"Masahiro Nakai’s Useful Library"[31] show, a widely followed Japanese TV program (June, 2015).
Selected works
Gianni Sarcone, 1998, The Other Face of Paris (aka The Eiffel Girl), photograph, 66 x 91cm, Private collection, Paris (France).
Gianni Sarcone, 2001, Master of Numbers, mixed media / collage, 76 x 76cm, Museum of Illusions, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
Gianni Sarcone, 2003, Hold on Tight, mixed media, 76 x 76cm, Museum of Illusions, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia).
Gianni Sarcone, 1997, Hypnotic Vibes, mixed media, 70 x 70cm, Museum of Illusions, Ljubljana (Slovenia).
Gianni Sarcone, 2011, Apparition, mixed media, 122 x 122cm, Museum of Illusions, Ljubljana (Slovenia).
Gianni Sarcone, 2013, Mystic Bat (aka Mystic Flying Bat), mixed media, 122 x 122cm, Private collection, Florence (Italy).
Gianni Sarcone, 1997-2021, Moona Lisa. A mosaic of lunar images that forms the iconic portrait of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa when viewed from a distance.
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, ISBN178739235X.
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