Artist inspired by Salvador Dali uses computer-generated math patterns to create 3D modern art
TARPON SPRINGS, Fla. - Louis Markoya had very little knowledge of art or what art could be until he walked into a bookstore and saw a Salvador Dali art book. Until that moment, Markoya had never imagined imagery like that existed or was even possible to create.
"When I saw it, I was inspired to look further into Dali and how that art was done," Markoya shared.
Markoya met Dali in 1970 and taught himself how to paint in a relatable way.
In 1971, he began working for Dali and spent the next six years with him.
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"Working with Dali was an incredible and remarkable experience. Every week, every day, had a new experience, meeting a new celebrity and a new thing to be working on. Dali had this passion to bring the third dimension to a flat surface in art. He felt ever since the renaissance this is what artist have been trying to achieve through mostly perspective," Markoya explained.
Dali believed that ever since the Renaissance, artists have been trying to reproduce the third dimension on a flat surface by using perspective and shadowing.
In 2021, Markoya saw a display in Manhattan that used a lenticular lens to project an image of Spiderman hanging off the side of a building. From that moment on, he wanted to try to implement that type of technology into his art.
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"A lot of my art is based on fractals, mathematical patterns that are generated on a computer. Those fractals are integrated with other imagery to become the picture that I want to paint. When the picture becomes an oil painting, I then photograph it in higher resolution, separate it in Photoshop, in separate layers, and make that into a 3D image and translate it into a lenticular image," Markoya commented.
Markoya wanted to bring computer technology to his classical artwork by integrating fractals in oil paintings and making full-color, 3D art viewable without the need for glasses or any other technology. Through this technology, he can offer his viewers something new and visually unique.
"I think that it’s extremely unique and that it has a place in the art world beyond museums," Markoya said. "I think 3D art belongs in every hotel lobby, bars and all over the place and that it should be reasonably priced so people can afford do you have it in their home."
Markoya's art will be on display at the Leepa Rattner Museum of Art Aug. 27-Feb. 6.
LINK: Learn more about Louis Markoya at www.louismarkoya.com.
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