





Any work of figurative art, even a picture in a frame, employs some
illusion. The two major types of illusion are: conventional and optical.
A framed picture is a conventional illusion. The viewer can choose to
see the frame as a window, a starting point from which to visually enter
the painted world. This is referred to as “a willing suspension of disbelief.” The frame
Artist:
Kurt Wenner - street artist
Concept:
The sun began to enter the temple at 0555 local time (02.55 GMT) for 24 minutes to illuminate the figure of the king of the XIX dynasty of the New Empire (1539-1075 BC). During that brief time, the solar rays traveled along a distance of 60 meters until reaching the sanctum of the temple to announce the start of the month of ‘Bert’, which marked the beginning of the agricultural season for the ancient Egyptians.
The sanctum contains four statues depicting Ramses II as equal to the gods seated in the middle of Re-Herakhty and Amen, with the god Ptah to the right of Amen. The rising sun illuminates all the figures except that of Ptah.
The Great Temple at Abu Simbel is constructed so that the sun’s rays illuminate the statue of Ramses II only twice a year: on October 22, to commemorate his access to throne, and again on Feb. 22, on the occasion of his birthday.