Shadow Art. Seeing The Beauty In The Dark

Most art instillations are long-lived. Sculptures stand strong, framed paintings hang on a wall, books are printed, and poems linger on the mind.

But among these multitudes of forms, sneaking through the cracks, there are those that are short-lived. My favourite among these is an art form called "Shadow Art".

When light strikes an object, it illuminates the surface. But if there is less light, or none, then the space behind the object is left dark. The way we perceive this can trick our human brains into seeing an object that isn't there.

Have you ever held up your hand to make an animal against a bright light? To entertain a child, or maybe yourself? Congratulations, Shadow Artist!

Shadow art is deceptively simple, for how complex my explanation made it seem. The best representation would be to just show you. So here you go.

Here, you can see a single example of shadow art. We have been experimenting and playing with shadows for as long as we have been a sentient species, so shadow art is an ingrained part of us.

I spent hours searching for credible sources and histories of this art form, but it seems that this method is only making itself known now. Isn't it exciting to be here as the world of art shapes itself before us? Becoming something new, once again?

I can't wait to see where this goes.