Art is a subject that is cultured around the fundamental idea of perspective. It requires an abundance of imagination as well as the open-mindedness to spot someone else’s. When the depths of this element are explored far enough it grants an opportunity for a magic trick of sorts, even with the product of a simple drawing. Well maybe not so simple, but with a bucket of colored chalk and a few laborious days in the office Julian Beever is able to create 3-Dimensional art on the most unlikely of surfaces: the sidewalk; and has been doing so for the past fifteen years.
It does not seem possible at first thought, but makes complete sense once you see the pictures. The Trompe-l'œil style that Julian brilliantly demonstrates in his street drawings creates an optical illusion that even Houdini would have been proud of. Pictures like these truly stimulate the aesthetic intellect and provide a look at how easily the human mind can be manipulated from the right point of view.
Julian Beever specializes in chalk drawings but is not limited to just this one technique. He has also been known to work on intricate murals as well as detailed oil paintings. His work on the sidewalk is of a unique fashion and can often receive criticism despite his obvious artistic talents. The root of the problem does not lie in his finished illustration; rather, it stems from the use of such an unorthodox platform. Other than the occasional hater who qualms the ethical standards of someone who defaces public property, the only real dilemma is the exposed and unprotected nature of a sidewalk. The projects he spends days working on are at constant risk of being ruined by rain, by the unruly passerby, or really by anything that comes in contact with it. Plus, there is something sentimentally unappealing about never being able to keep your original work.
Julian takes pictures of each of his drawings, which is actually half of the “trick”, being able to find the perfect angle to capture the image; but in the end the chalk is too weak of a substance against Mother Nature. Regardless of this unfortunate hiccup for the artist, once finished, the audience is able to enjoy his work through a simple photograph, which is what Julian stated, in a BCC interview, that his main goal is to “build a photograph.” So really the trick is that much more convincing with no evidence of the original artwork, only something that appears to defy the laws of reality. He explained, “Once I realized you could make things go down, I realized you could make them appear to go up and I began experimenting.”
Julian’s unconventional methods are puzzling to say the least, but his attention to detail is clear-cut and this is what makes him a master of his craft. Granted it makes it way cooler that Julian gets to be in most of his pictures and can essentially transcend to a number of fantasy worlds through a single picture.
Yet, in the eyes of the wrong person a 3-dimensional object loses all clarity and can appear distorted. Subsequently, like most magic tricks, there is a reasonable solution and it lies with misdirection. If you are like me, and could not figure it out until now, it really is amazing. His work speaks for itself and really gets you wondering. Julian Beaver took an unpopular style of art and put a unique twist on it that deserves some creative respect.
All pictures courtesy of http://www.julianbeever.net/
Other Sources: Firefly Books
BCC Interview
Trompe Wiki
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