Sunken (Counter) Reliefs aim to produce the illusion of movement in the painting when the viewer changes his position, imitating a dream scene back from 2005 where „paintings were floating out of walls in the air“. The physically impossible transformation of dream elements is a bizarre phenomenon. To reproduce this phenomenon I was looking for possible ways ans succeeded by carving forms into the wood and coloring negative shapes to build the the illusion of convex figures „coming out of the painting“. The counter reliefs were shown in 2008 in the State Art Exhibition of Saarland.
![Urini and Flora_2006_40x50cm_ acryl on mdf sunken relief](http://mertakbal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/uriniflora.jpg)
Urini and Flora_2006_40x50cm_ acryl on mdf as sunken (counter) relief
![Mother and Daughter_2006_50x60cm_ acryl on mdf sunken relief](http://mertakbal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/motherdau.jpg)
Mother and Daughter_2006_50x60cm_ acryl on mdf as sunken (counter) relief
![Players_160x40cm_ mdf sunken relief](http://mertakbal.com/wp-content/uploads/2005/09/IMG_1172-dunkel-1024x466.jpg)
Players_160x40cm_ mdf as sunken (counter) relief
![Monkey_60x50cm_2010_ oil on mdf sunken relief](http://mertakbal.com/wp-content/uploads/2005/09/Affe_2010_40x30cm.jpg)
Monkey_60x50cm_2010_ oil on mdf as sunken (counter) relief
![Holy Cow_2008_30x20cm_ acryl on mdf sunken relief](http://mertakbal.com/wp-content/uploads/2005/09/Heilige_Kuh_2008_30x20cm.jpg)
Holy Cow_2008_30x20cm_ acryl on mdf as sunken (counter) relief
![Lizard_2011_30x60cm_ oil on mdf sunken relief](http://mertakbal.com/wp-content/uploads/2005/09/Dechse_2010_40x20cm-480x1024.jpg)
Lizard_2011_30x60cm_ oil on mdf as sunken (counter) relief
![Lovers_2007_50x40cm_ mdf sunken relief](http://mertakbal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/Unbenannt-4.jpg)
Lovers_2007_50x40cm_ mdf as sunken (counter) relief
![Blind Girl on Three Legged Horse_2005_50x70cm_ 2006_40x50cm_ acryl on mdf sunken relief](http://mertakbal.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/at.jpg)
Blind Girl on Three Legged Horse_2005_50x70cm_ 2006_40x50cm_ acryl on mdf as sunken (counter) relief
![Hieronymus_2008_60x40cm_ acryl on mdf sunken relief](http://mertakbal.com/wp-content/uploads/2005/09/Hieronymus_2008_60x40cm.jpg)
Hieronymus_2008_60x40cm_ acryl on mdf as sunken (counter) relief