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. 2021 Nov 25;12(6):20416695211053877.
doi: 10.1177/20416695211053877. eCollection 2021 Nov.

On the Art of Binocular Rivalry

Nicholas J Wade  1
Affiliations

On the Art of Binocular Rivalry

Nicholas J Wade. Iperception. .

Abstract

Binocular rivalry has a longer descriptive history than stereoscopic depth perception both of which were transformed by Wheatstone's invention of the stereoscope. Thereafter, artistic interest in binocular vision has been largely confined to stereopsis. A brief survey of research on binocular contour rivalry is followed by anaglyphic examples of its expression as art. Rivalling patterns can be photographs, graphics, and combinations of them. In addition, illustrations of binocular lustre and interactions between rivalry and stereopsis are presented, as are rivalling portraits of some pioneers of the science and art of binocular vision. The question of why a dynamic process like binocular rivalry has been neglected in visual art is addressed.

Keywords: anaglyphs; binocular art; contour rivalry; graphics; lustre; photography; portraits; stereoscopic vision.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
A rivalry pattern consisting of orthogonal gratings. Fixating on the central dot while looking through red/cyan filters will result in binocular rivalry. Reversing the filters will indicate whether one eye has a marked dominance.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Emilio Diaz-Caneja and his rivalry pattern by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Rivalling radiations by Nicholas Wade (an anaglyph based on Figure 1.8.10 from Wade, 1982). The component monocular designs are themselves visually unstable and are also seen as implying impossible depths.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Rivalry ART by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Tay Road Bridge from above and below by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Angel of Newcastle by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 7.
Figure 7.
Variegated rivylry by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 8.
Figure 8.
Circling the squares by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 9.
Figure 9.
Curvilinear rivalry by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 10.
Figure 10.
Following the flow by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 11.
Figure 11.
Centripetal patterns by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 12.
Figure 12.
Ogle by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 13.
Figure 13.
Spiritual radiations by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 14.
Figure 14.
Tay Road Bridge and Telford Light by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 15.
Figure 15.
Stones of destiny by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 16.
Figure 16.
Golden section arcs by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 17.
Figure 17.
The union of opposites by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 18.
Figure 18.
Rivalry between Wheatstone and Brewster by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 19.
Figure 19.
Bela Julesz in rivalry by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 20.
Figure 20.
Salvador Dali’s third eye by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 21.
Figure 21.
Double Duchamp by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 22.
Figure 22.
The triangle of Kanizsa by Nicholas Wade.
Figure 23.
Figure 23.
Self-portrait in rivalry and depth by Nicholas Wade.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Ades D. (2000). Dali's optical illusions. Yale University Press.
    1. Ades D. (2008). Camera creation. In Mundy J. (Ed.), Duchamp, Man Ray, picabia (pp. 89–113). Tate Publishing.
    1. Aguilonius F. (1613). Opticorum libri sex. Philosophis juxta ac mathematicis utiles [Six books on optics. For the use of philosophers and mathematicians]. Moreti.
    1. Alais D., Blake R. Binocular rivalry. MIT Press.
    1. Alais D., Blake R. (2015). Binocular rivalry and perceptual ambiguity. In Wagemans J. (Ed.), The Oxford handbook of perceptual organization. Oxford University Press.

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