“In the natural world, the chameleon blends in perfectly with its background. In the urban jungle, Desiree Palmen decided to attempt the same visual deception. And as these pictures show, the effect is amazing. Miss Palmen, a 44-year-old Dutch artist, uses a method that requires a huge amount of effort and attention to detail.

She makes cotton suits and paints the camouflage on by hand, painstakingly matching it to the chosen background. Either she or a model then poses in the suit in the chosen place. The scenes are photographed and filmed and then put on display. “People always react strongly when they see my work,” she said. “They have mixed reactions: confusion, surprise and interest.”

[…] She got the idea for her unusual art from the increasing use of “Big Brother” surveillance. She said: “I’d like people to consider what it means to let the government control our daily lives. “When we are controlled we hand over our individual responsibilities to the state. I wanted to make a suit for the non-criminal citizen whose house is being watched 24 hours by street surveillance cameras. I’m also responding to a wish to disappear.”

(via Daily Mail)

(Desiree Palmen’s website)