Britt Salvesen; 3D: Double Vision

3D: Double Vision traces the rise of the 3D spectacle, from the invention of the stereoscope to the present day. 3D may seem like a contemporary trend, but artists have long sought to achieve the illusion of three dimensions in their work. The history of 3D begins in the 1830s with the stereoscope, a device that allowed Victorian audiences to experience faraway lands, colossal monuments, current events, and comic scenes. 3D motion picture technology followed in the twentieth century, along with consumer products such as View Masters and artistic experiments such as lenticular printing.

This book explore the origins of 3D formats and examine artists’ and filmmakers’ enduring fascination with virtual depth. This volume covers a wide range of genres, artists, and media—from sophisticated perceptual experimentation to popular cinema—and includes 3D viewing apparatuses to allow readers to fully engage in the multi-dimensional history of artistic expression.

This catalogue was produced in conjunction with the exhibition 3D: Double Vision which is on view at LACMA from July 15, 2018 to March 31, 2019. Written by Britt Salvesen with contributions from Thomas Banchoff, Eric Drysdale, Erkki Huhtamo, Zach Rottman, and Gloria Sutton.