A Photo Wall with Painted 3D Illusions Installed in Mežaparks Culture and Recreation Park

As the International 3D Art Festival "Riga Illusions", which will take place at Mežaparks Culture and Recreation Park from 5 to 8 June 2019, approaches, the festival's organiser, SIA "Rīgas meži", has installed an unusual photo wall with optical illusions in the park.

The photo wall gives park visitors the opportunity to become participants in two scenes. The first scene is devoted to the theme of forests and animals, while the second depicts a scene from director Robert Zemeckis's cult film "Back to the Future".

By standing at a specific point, a person can become a participant in the scene depicted in the 3D drawing. When viewed through a phone or camera lens, the 3D image creates the illusion of three-dimensional reality, making the depiction appear “alive”—real.

The authors of the optical illusions on the photo wall are renowned 3D artists from Saint Petersburg—Viktor Puzin and Maria Kudasheva. SIA "Rīgas meži" has been working with the artists since 2014, when the first 3D asphalt painting in Latvia, "Moose", was created in Mežaparks.

The photo wall is located on the park's main avenue, which leads from Riga Zoo to Osta Avenue.

Visitors to Mežaparks are invited to take photographs at the display, share them on social media using the hashtag #rīgasilūzijas2019, and enter the competition for the most popular photographs. To participate in the competition, social media users must ensure that the privacy settings for their photographs allow them to be viewed publicly.

During the International 3D Art Festival "Riga Illusions", from 5 to 8 June 2019, the organisers will identify the photographs that received the most "Likes" from social media users. The authors of the most popular photographs will receive a recognition award from SIA "Rīgas meži".

At the end of April, SIA "Rīgas meži" plans to install another photo wall featuring 3D painting illusions in Esplanāde.

The International Three-Dimensional Art Festival "Riga Illusions" is the only festival of its kind in the Baltics. During the festival, 16 internationally acclaimed artists will create large-format 3D paintings on asphalt in Riga, on the grounds of Mežaparks Culture and Recreation Park.

The festival organiser, SIA "Rīgas meži", asks residents to be understanding and treat the photo wall with care, as considerable time and labour were devoted to its construction and painting.