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Inventor of 3D Pavement Art to unveil Grand Canyon composition
Check it out June 15 at National Geographic Visitor Center at the South Rim

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. - Kurt Wenner is creating a new work of his world famous 3D pavement art this summer at the National Geographic Visitor Center located at the Grand Canyon South Rim.

Wenner has combined traditional street painting techniques together with his classical training in Renaissance classicism, to invent an art form all his own, that has come to be known as anamorphic or 3D pavement art.

"People often inquire where they can see a 3D installation, so that they may stand on the edge and experience the depth of the art," said Wenner. "The magic of the art truly comes alive when people interact with the work. I really am happy that it will become possible for more people to interact with this piece, the first permanent illusion to be exhibited in North America."

Nature Valley® is the presenting sponsor of Kurt Wenner's Grand Canyon 3D Pavement Artwork.

"We are proud to support this project, which provides an incredible interactive guest experience with one of the seven natural wonders of the world," said Scott Baldwin, Nature Valley associate director. "Nature Valley believes deeply in inspiring people to enjoy nature, and we encourage visitors to experience this unique opportunity at the Grand Canyon."

Visitors to the National Geographic Visitor Center will be able to interact in the artwork at no charge.

"We are excited to bring Kurt Wenner's 3D Pavement Art to the Visitor Center as part of our commitment to entertain, educate and enlighten visitors from aroundthe world about Grand Canyon," said Janet Rosener, director of the National Geographic Visitor Center. "Our goal is to make sure our visitors gain a higher level of understanding and appreciation for this special place in order for them to get the most out of their vacation experience at the Grand Canyon."

Both the Kurt Wenner 3D artwork and the 34-minute Grand Canyon: The Hidden Secrets IMAX® film have the ability to seemingly transport visitors into the Canyon where they descend to its twisting depths providing guests with a feeling of having been inside the Grand Canyon. That is the magic of Kurt Wenner's 3D Pavement Artwork and IMAX®, the ultimate film experience.

A form of perspective known as anamorphism was used by the great European masters to give the illusion of soaring architecture and floating figures in ceiling frescoes. Through his large-scale drawings, Wenner is able to create a world where reality and fantasy are combined, creating compositions that appear to rise from, or fall into the ground. Wenner's hyperbolic perspective artwork along with the success of the National Geographic 1987 documentary on Kurt Wenner - Masterpieces In Chalk have inspired many communities, corporations, government buildings, hotels, museums, churches and private homes to commission his artwork worldwide. As an educator, Wenner has been recognized for his outstanding contribution to arts education and was awarded the Kennedy Center Medallion.

The National Geographic Visitor Center is located on highway 64, one mile south of the South Rim entrance to Grand Canyon National Park and is open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. March 1 to Oct. 31; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 1 to Feb. 28.


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