artist exploring the intersection of math, art and
illusion. Influenced by Escher’s unique approach
to perspective, Bakker uses computer-based
methods to find unexpected and ambiguous
viewpoints within cubic lattices and polyhedra.
“Everything that exists, every piece of matter,
is built from these structures,” says Bakker about
cubic lattices, which form the basis of the most
stable molecular forms of many elements. “I get
goosebumps when I pursue a hunch about what
exists in a lattice and discover an illusion of stun-
ning beauty.”
Bakker’s mathematical sculptures—whether
rendered in steel, bronze or virtually—underscore
how different takes on the same lattice can
change the apparent reality of the structure,
revealing the “multiplicity of perspectives
in herent in all things.” The overarching principle
is not exclusive to Bakker’s creations, but a fun-
damental problem in everyday vision, where our
brains must resolve profoundly ambiguous incom-
ing information into one of many possible percep-
tual solutions.
“The brain thinks it sees two linked squares[from a certain viewpoint],” says Bakker about his
Opus 125707, featured here. Without studying
the other perspectives, viewers may walk away
with a false interpretation about the simplicity
of the structure they think they have seen. Yet
the reality is far more complex than revealed
by that first, accidental view—and there are
lots more such riddles to discover, hidden in
the lattices.
“I’ve been playing in this sandbox for 40 years
and I will continue to play in it for the rest of my
days,” Bakker says.ILLUSIONS
Opus 125707, by Dutch sculptor Anton Bakker. Each image represents a different perspective of the same 3-D object.
ANTON BAKKER➦^33