The Mesmerizing and Dynamic Art of Samuel J Palmer (Animated Gifs)

John Summers • Contributor

Nov 20, 2024 10:00 PM EST

Different artworks evoke different reactions. Some make us sad, some compel us to contemplate the meaning of life, and some leave us scratching our heads, wondering why someone would pay over a million dollars for a banana taped to a wall (yes, that really happened). But there's another reaction I especially enjoy—the "How on earth did they do that?" moment. I remember staring at Salvador Dalí's paintings, marveling at how he managed to depict a swan that's also an upside-down elephant, or studying Escher's work and trying to decipher his impossible spaces.

The artwork of Samuel J Palmer (not the British landscape painter) hits that same sweet spot. Each one of his mesmerizing GIFs leaves me in awe, trying to understand how these masterpieces came to life while also resisting the urge to fall into a trance. These are just a few of his incredible works, but you should absolutely explore the rest on his website.