Are you afraid of heights?
If not, you might be tempted to climb this staircase to the sky.
However, once the viewer views the sculpture from a different angle, the visual trick is revealed.
This piece is actually a vertical ladder thats just 4.5 meters (14.8 feet) high.
The group exhibition included 14 artists who created public installations.
Each piece was displayed along the natural landscapes of the four villages and tribes in Nanhui.
The theme for 2021 was Sicevudan Forward From Here.Sicevudanis a Paiwan word meaning source and convergence.
In this case, the artists explored how art has the power to encourage people to overcome their differences.
Van der Merwe partnered with Taiwanese artist Chou Sheng-hsien to buildStaircase to Heaven.
Working from Van der Merwes concept drawings and instructions, Sheng-hsien hand-built the piece from steel square tubing.
The resulting piece encourages viewers to playfully interact with the structure and contemplate the clever optical illusion.
Check outStaircase to Heavenbelow and find more of Van der Merwes sculptures on hiswebsite.
