Something incredible is happening on reddit. I'm tempted to say these people have way too much time, but this is legit amazing. #RecursionFTW pic.twitter.com/mr8jHjTbnV
— Nick Kapur (@nick_kapur) January 30, 2019
Earlier this month, a Redditor shared a sweet and seemingly inconsequential photograph. It showed his mother, Cindi Decker, holding a colorful portrait of an egret. “My mom painted this and said no one would like it,” Gaddafo said. “It's her 2nd painting.” While one would expect the comment section to be full of encouraging comments or helpful critiques, it quickly took on a life of its own and spiraled into something entirely unexpected.
Prompted by another user's comical idea, artist Kristoffer Zetterstrand posted a photo of himself holding a painting of the woman holding her painting. (Are you still following?) Then, user lillyofthenight followed suit, sharing a picture of herself holding a painting of the man holding a painting of the woman holding a painting. The trend continued, culminating in an astounding chain reaction that has come to be known as “paintception.”
This Reddit-based phenomenon then spread to Twitter, where it has continued to gain traction. “Something incredible is happening on reddit,” author Nick Kapur shared. “I'm tempted to say these people have way too much time, but this is legit amazing.”
He then compiled the photographs into a streamlined Twitter thread, allowing audiences to watch the mind-blowing situation unfold before their eyes. He's even included an interactive chart that allows you to explore how the ever-expanding “paintception” has unfolded.
So, what does Decker think of the situation? “You know, I'm not a painter,” she told As It Happens. “I'm just somebody who went out and did a little painting thing, so I got lucky to get caught up in all this fun craziness.”
In addition to Internet fame, it seems she's made some friends along the way—Zetterstrand, the artist who started the chain, has even promised to send her the trend-setting portrait.
See how “paintception,” a mind-blowing series of seemingly infinite paintings, unfolded.
Something incredible is happening on reddit. I'm tempted to say these people have way too much time, but this is legit amazing. #RecursionFTW pic.twitter.com/mr8jHjTbnV
— Nick Kapur (@nick_kapur) January 30, 2019
It keeps going! pic.twitter.com/DFMtan8m98
— Nick Kapur (@nick_kapur) January 30, 2019
And going… pic.twitter.com/XeqNKfu3sF
— Nick Kapur (@nick_kapur) January 30, 2019
And going… pic.twitter.com/0lymU6UZz5
— Nick Kapur (@nick_kapur) January 30, 2019
And going! pic.twitter.com/NAf2z1vCoY
— Nick Kapur (@nick_kapur) January 30, 2019
Oh lord, there are multiple branches! pic.twitter.com/eGRmcQ9BXL
— Nick Kapur (@nick_kapur) January 30, 2019
Somebody's cat got involved… pic.twitter.com/ykR6BxJac9
— Nick Kapur (@nick_kapur) January 30, 2019
Somebody tried (and failed) to close the loop… pic.twitter.com/kLB7akZBZO
— Nick Kapur (@nick_kapur) January 30, 2019
And somebody tried to chart out all the branches… pic.twitter.com/RF8nnItiTV
— Nick Kapur (@nick_kapur) January 30, 2019
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