Even 90 percent a person perceives information through sight, so vision is one of the most important senses. Non-observance of rest and sleep regime, bad habits and other factors weaken vision and provoke vision disorders. There are alternative and very interesting ways that we can help ourselves by improving our vision. One such is the autostereogram.
An autostereogram is a 3D optical illusion consisting of a horizontally repeating pattern with slight variations (similar to wallpaper or carpet). If you look at this pattern from the right distance and keep your gaze in the distance, you can see a three-dimensional image. Scientific studies have proven that autostereograms help strengthen and improve vision.
This fact is also confirmed by the artist Loreta Roževičiūtė-Elksnė, whose 3D autostereogram “Three-dimensional tale”, created based on M. K. Čiurlionis’ painting II from the triptych “The Tale”, is exhibited in the M. K. Čiurlionis National Museum of Art.
“Until now, art and dance therapies have been organized in the museum. We are happy to present an innovation – an autostereogram and eye therapy”, said the director of the museum, Daina Kamarauskienė, at the beginning of the presentation event of L. Roževičiūtė-Elksnė’s work, recalling the story of her acquaintance with the artist. The artist herself came to the museum and presented her work – autostereograms. “The artist admitted that she really wants to create a work inspired by the work of M. K. Čiurlionis. We can see how well she succeeded in this”, said D. Kamarauskienė.
L. Roževičiūtė-Elksnė admitted: the autostereogram exhibited in the museum was redrew as many as seven times, and the creation process lasted half a year.
The creator’s mastery in creating autostereograms is the result of 28 years of work. At first, autostereograms were just a hobby for the artist, and they became the main activity ten years ago, when the beloved grandmother of the artist shared her positive experience.
“I had given my grandmother some postcards with autostereograms, which were hanging next to the TV. After a while, she started telling everyone that her vision had improved. I had heard that autostereograms have a positive effect on the eyes, but I had not experienced this in practice. The improvement of my grandmother’s eyesight made me very happy, and from then on, I began to look at autostereograms as more than just a hobby. It became my main artistic activity. My grandmother inspired me to find my own way and found the creative group “Vėjo rožė”, L. Roževičiūtė-Elksnė shared a beautiful story.
The unique path of the artist was not simple. Autostereograms are not popular in Lithuania, therefore, while learning the secrets of their creation, L. Roževičiūtė-Elksnė sought knowledge by contacting colleagues from abroad. Unfortunately, they didn’t want to share their secrets, so I had to learn everything on my own.
“I can name the decade when I have been fully devoted to the creation of autostereograms as a period of great discoveries, which led to an interesting path. I’ll admit that, looking back, I’m glad that I didn’t know much, because it encouraged me to discover original techniques”, said the artist.
When looking at the autostereogram exhibited in the museum, it is not only the 3D effect that impresses the viewer, which upon discovery fills the viewer with surprise and joy. This work is the largest autostereogram that the artist has ever created. The 1.42 x 2.30 m work consists of small repeating objects created using computer programs.
“The process of creating an autostereogram takes place in three stages: creating a sketch, transferring it to the computer and improving it with digital drawing, graphics, and painting techniques, and finally, modelling a 3D graphic image”, revealed L. Roževičiūtė-Elksnė.
When she starts creating, she says that she is very focused, attentive and involved in the process, she clearly knows the stages of the process. “The details that make up the autostereogram are dependent on each other, so if a mistake is made in one of the parts of the composition of the work and noticed too late, it may be like a textile worker weaving a carpet, having to dismantle half of the work. However, when an image begins to emerge in the creative process, I am filled with sincere joy, so before I start a new work, I never think about what a long and difficult process awaits me”, said the artist.
The autostereogram created by L. Roževičiūtė-Elksnė provides an opportunity to look at the work of M. K. Čiurlionis in a new way. As written in the annotation of the work, observing the active pattern of the autostereogram and plunging into the depths of the “Three-Dimensional Tale”, the viewer is invited to experience the sounds of inner music, creating his own interpretation of them.
“M. K. Čiurlionis opened up and showed another world to the audience with his creations. Looking at the autostereogram also opens up new possibilities of seeing, which every viewer is encouraged to discover”, said L. Roževičiūtė-Elksnė.
Photographed by Justė Mocevičiūtė.
Source: Kauno diena – Three-dimensional tale about M. K. Čiurlionis, prepared by Ainė Jacytė
