A new exhibition titled "Fool Me Twice" has opened at Robert Lange Studios in Charleston, South Carolina, featuring 20 international artists who explore the tradition of trompe l’oeil—a technique that uses hyperrealistic illusion to blur the line between reality and representation. Works include George Ayers’s "Swamp Frog," where a frog appears to break through the canvas, and Sharon Moody’s "The Year of Great Shocks," a meticulously painted comic book spread. The show runs through May 25, 2025.
The exhibition matters because it revives and recontextualizes a centuries-old artistic tradition, challenging viewers to question perception and the limits of painting. By bringing together contemporary practitioners, "Fool Me Twice" demonstrates that trompe l’oeil remains a vital, thought-provoking genre that engages both technical skill and philosophical inquiry, reinforcing the enduring power of visual illusion in art.