Paris' City Hall Showcases Mind-Bending Optical Illusion (VIDEO)

If you can wrap your head around this one, we'll honestly be impressed.

The image you see above (and in the video below) isn't quite what it seems. In actuality it's a piece of 3D art, creating a mind-bending optical illusion in front of Paris' City Hall.

Designed by François Abelanet, and titled "Who to believe?" the piece is on display through July 15, according to the City of Paris' Official Website. The official release states that the installation is supposed to "question the link between nature and city, and their difficult coexistence."

The video below shows more than just the illusion, delving deeper into its creation.

While pictures may make it seem small, in reality it's enormous.

From Gizmodo:

The work of art may look small in its 3D form, but it's actually huge. It covers 1500 square meters, measures 100 meters long and uses 1200 square meters of lawn. Approximately, 90 gardeners worked for five days to assemble the entire display.

WATCH:

"Vous êtes ailleurs" ou à l'Hôtel de Ville ? by mairiedeparis

Comments

[WorldScott]

03:02 PM on 08/07/2011

There's also an additional, excellent and brief musical video of this illusion:

http://d.ro/magicworld

Cheers!

[moonlightesq]

02:25 PM on 07/19/2011

After I saw this video, on my visit to Paris last week, I purposely went to see this optical illusion, it was magnificent.

[Totto]

10:38 PM on 07/12/2011

We in the US simply can't afford to maintain our parks, but Parisians can create one as a temporary work of art. Merveilleux!

[Whinger]

05:40 PM on 07/12/2011

Now you see it now you don't, it all depends how you look at it, but good stuff nonetheless!

[BlueTongue]

03:12 PM on 07/12/2011

Make the next one out of cheese!

[TYRANNASAURUS]

05:55 PM on 07/11/2011

Ta bon.

[ena]

03:07 PM on 07/09/2011

Très cool!

[lamenarch]

08:03 AM on 07/09/2011

I don't understand this at all & that has nothing to do with not speaking French but it still was fun to watch.

[Seer Clearly]

04:32 AM on 07/09/2011

The French call is "joie de vivre." The Germans, "Lebensfreude". Europeans realize that life isn't about polarized hateful politics or a frantic struggle to make money that won't make you happy, or living in continuous fear for your survival. Instead, they sit in open-air cafes and relax, or spend money on public displays of art that make their cities beautiful places to enjoy instead of toxic concrete warrens. American's can't even imagine the joy of living in such a city, and prefer to put it down for being a fairy-tale fantasy. But it actually exists.

[Catriona]

05:36 PM on 07/09/2011

Indeed. We just returned from a lovely festival in Point L'Abbe, Brittany, France. Breton Music, dancing, food, and loads of happy French people of all ages. We drove back to our house on a good road, over the magnificent bridge over the Odet River, and through pretty villages that had gorgeous public plantings, and signs announcing their village festivals. Moules frites in a small cafe, and on to a free guitar concert at a local church.

Return to the US? Never.

[George Garros]

03:22 AM on 07/09/2011

omg, so existential... the work of an AUTEUR, not to be confused with a regular artist. Basically, they're just French.

[Hajnal]

07:10 AM on 07/10/2011

...so? Is there anything wrong with that?

[mudshark12]

02:20 AM on 07/09/2011

That was a cool 3D illusion! I hope the French get attached to it and leave it there.

[Joshua Grisenthwaite]

01:58 AM on 07/09/2011

That's just plain nifty right there.

[Jonnynav]

05:51 PM on 07/08/2011

That is really cool!

[noob1]

04:43 PM on 07/08/2011

Loved being in Paris, the nipples stand out as proof that the city enjoy a free & joyful people, eh.

[LiberalLee]

04:08 PM on 07/08/2011

Someone once sent me a whole slew of these street art fantasms.
FAB-ulous stuff.
Must try to google them up again...http://www.oddee.com/item_96589.aspx Ah, there they are!
In-bleeping-credible!!

[mxytsplyk]

07:50 PM on 07/08/2011

Very cool!