Amazing Art of Invisibility

When people are asked what superpower they would opt for given the choice, it’s alarming how many go for invisibility. Then, you could go wherever you want and do whatever you want, within reason, of course. You want first class to Sydney? No worries, just rock on up to the best empty seats on the jumbo, and enjoy. Although, you’d have to use your powers for good, too, so karma wouldn’t bite you in the butt. That said it’s probably not the first thing camouflage artists think of when they decide to paint people to blend in with their surroundings.

Desiree Palmen is one such artist. Over a number of years, Dutch born Desiree has photographed various projects throughout Europe. Here are just a few of her images, modeled by friends:

Part of the street surveillance camera project, Streetwise



These images were part of Desiree’s Camouflage project


Another artist specializing in camouflage is Liu Bolin, from China. His stance is slightly different than Desiree’s, but the result is similar.

Liu says:

Chameleon has the unique property of changing hues to match the color of the surroundings for self-protection. Rattlesnake can bury most of the body in sand soil. This can not only protect itself but also have a better access to food. There are also many animals, such as gecko, beetle etc., which have learnt to deal with the environment and the enemy in the longtime fight of life and death. In order to survive, good concealment has become the most critical factor.

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