Issue no. 275

Illusions in the World of Vision

Do you know the verb illudere? No? It doesn't matter. Not everyone knows Latin. The verb's meaning, among others, is to play a game, to tease, to trick, to deride, to deceive or even to cheat. Now, it can't be said that what we are presented in our show windows has anything to do with cheating. But the attempt to simulate an imaginary world - that does exist. For example, when we look at perfectly styled mannequins who always have the correct proportions and are never confronted with diet questions, who, on the contrary, dictate the desirable appearance people in our society should have. Then, like a soap bubble, the pipe dream can burst very quickly when we behold our true appearance mirrored in the window. The experience described is based on illusions created by the retail world. If these fall on fertile soil, they can trigger sometimes uncontrollable feelings. In other words, our susceptability to fictions, illusions, castles in the air, day dreams, pretty appearance or even illusory hopes, remains a personal matter...

There are illusions we accept joyfully and, generally, without consequence. Children aren't the only ones amazed by tricks of magicians, artists or illustrators who create unusual and surprising optical effects with trompe-l'oeil methods. We are surprised, amazed, astonished. And delighted. Which shows that illusions are evidently part of daily life. Perhaps as a useful safety valve, enabling us to deal more calmly with disappointment and frustration.