Trompe l'oeil: 3D-illusion brings Syria to streets of Japan

Trompe l'oeil: 3D-illusion brings Syria to streets of Japan
Artwork has been unveiled at a university campus in Tokyo to encourage passers-by to remember the plight of Syrians under seige
1 min read
18 Nov, 2016
The optical illusion depicts the ruins of besieged Aleppo [Getty]
A 3D optical illusion at a Tokyo university has brought Syria to the streets of Japan.

The artwork, depicting the crumbling buildings of a devasted Aleppo, was unveiled at Meiji University's Surugadai campus on Thursday.

By looking down at the painting from a certain position, the viewer gets the illusion of peering into the ruined city, currently the flashpoint of the six-year civil war.

The event hosted by Amnesty International's Japanese branch was designed to raise awareness of Syria's plight among passers-by.

The artwork was also exhibited in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York in March 2015.

The artwork was unveiled in Tokyo [Getty]