Nest of Necker cubes
This panel reproduces a Marc Adrian artwork featuring overlapping Necker cubes of varying sizes. Composed of geometric shapes in blue, green, and red, the arrangement generates multistable perceptions, shifting between three-dimensional cubes in multiple orientations and a flat pattern of hexagons. The work highlights perceptual ambiguity and the brain’s active role in constructing visual reality.
The Necker cube is a well known optical illusion based on a simple wire-frame drawing of a cube that can be perceived in two different orientations. Because the image lacks depth cues, the brain alternates between seeing one face or the opposite face as the front, causing the perceived orientation to flip spontaneously. This phenomenon demonstrates perceptual ambiguity, showing that the visual system actively constructs reality rather than passively recording it. The Necker cube has become a valuable tool in psychology and neuroscience for studying visual perception, attention, and cognitive processing.
The illusion was first described in 1832 by Louis Albert Necker, a Swiss crystallographer and naturalist born in Geneva in 1786. Necker was deeply interested in crystal structures and their two-dimensional representations. While studying engravings of crystals, he noticed a curious effect: the apparent depth of the crystal seemed to oscillate spontaneously, depending on how the viewer interpreted the lines. This observation led him to explore the cube illusion, demonstrating that a simple geometric figure could produce multiple valid perceptions in the mind. Beyond the Necker cube, Necker made important contributions to crystallography, mineral classification, geology, and natural science, including studies of the Alps, terrestrial magnetism, and the aurora borealis.
The Necker cube pattern has also been widely applied in optical illusions and pavement designs. When repeated with contrasting colors—often black, white, and gray—the pattern creates a convincing three-dimensional effect, making flat surfaces appear to rise or recede. This effect occurs because the brain interprets the 2D geometric pattern as a 3D structure, reflecting the same perceptual mechanisms seen in the original Necker cube. Such designs are commonly found in public spaces, art installations, and tiled floors, where they add depth, movement, and visual interest through skillful use of perspective and shading. Notable historical examples can be seen in Roman mosaic pavements, such as the one illustrated below from Delos Island.
The Necker cube has inspired many contemporary artists who explore perception, ambiguity, and spatial illusion. By incorporating the cube’s bistable geometry into paintings, sculptures, and installations, artists create works that appear to shift and transform as viewers change their perspective or focus. These pieces often play with depth, light, and shadow to enhance the three-dimensional illusion, inviting active engagement and interaction from the audience. Contemporary designers also adapt the Necker cube in graphic design, architecture, and digital media, using its optical ambiguity to challenge conventional notions of space and encourage viewers to question their own perceptual assumptions.
Among these artists is Marc Adrian (1930–2008), an Austrian pioneer known for his innovative approach to visual perception. Trained at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna and later at IDHEC in Paris, Adrian was deeply influenced by the avant-garde movements of the mid-20th century. His works often incorporated elements of motion and perception, challenging viewers to reconsider their visual experiences. Adrian's exploration of optical illusions, including the Necker cube, reflects his commitment to expanding the boundaries of visual art and engaging audiences in a dialogue about perception and reality.
Examples of geometrical artworks by Marc Adrian
Ultimo aggiornamento
17.10.2025