Art of Play - Wonder by Design

Impossibilia

Impossibilia - Main image
$30 $60 In stock

Category: Architecture

"Why do certain objects have an extraordinary ability to fascinate us and spark wonder, while others do not?"

So asks Davide Fumagalli in the pages of this work - the first of its kind - which studies the genesis, history, development, and modern day mania surrounding objects that interrupt the logical mind and confound the senses. These impossible objects he has dubbed impossiblia.

Readers will journey through the lands and minds of great artists, puzzle makers, ship-in-bottle builders, optical illusion designers, craftsmen, magicians, and creative problem solvers.

From the work and methods of M.C. Escher to the godfather of impossible bottles, Harry Eng, Impossiblia traces the origins of this super-secret and wildly popular subculture in a way no author has before. (And a few secrets behind their creation are revealed in its pages for the first time.)

Richly illustrated and stylized with original photographs of the author's own creations and many previously unpublished images of the miraculous works of those who inspired him, Impossiblia is a delightful combination of striking visuals and never-before-chronicled history.

Customer Reviews (4.8 / 5 · 19 reviews)

Violet G. ★★★★★

The chapter on why certain objects spark wonder had me rereading pages out loud to my partner. It's a genuinely fresh take on architecture and perception, not the usual coffee-table fluff. I’ve already lent it to a friend who's an architect.

Robert ★★★★★

I skimmed through the section on architectural marvels twice already, and the way it weaves philosophical questions with visual examples really pulls you in. The hardcover binding feels sturdy enough to survive being passed around my studio.

Ryan ★★★★★

The way it traces the psychology behind why certain objects captivate us felt like a whole new way of seeing the world, and I found myself underlining something on nearly every page. It's genuinely the first book I've read that treats wonder itself as a subject worth studying.