The illusion is also known as the false spiral, or by its original name, the twisted cord illusion. The overlapping black arc segments appear to form a spiral; however, the arcs are a series of concentric circles. The visual distortion is produced by combining a regular line pattern (the circles) with misaligned parts (the differently colored strands). Zollner's illusion and the cafe wall illusion are based on a similar principle, like many other visual effects, in which a sequence of tilted elements causes the eye to perceive phantom twists and deviations.
The illusion is augmented by the spiral components in the checkered background.

Sir James Fraser (1863–1936), British psychologist
The Fraser spiral illusion is an optical illusion that was first described by the British psychologist Sir James Fraser in 1908.

The chequer-work background is composed of a double series of dark and light broad spiral bands running in counter directions, and formed by the visual union of the black and white squares with the grey squares. The units of any one circular series all correspond to the same circle in one of two ways-either the centre of area of a Unit corresponds to the centre of a black or white square; or, the marginal dividing line of two 'units' corresponds at its central part to the diagonal line of a black or white square, that is, to part of the actual circular curve.
Read more here: "A new visual illusion of direction" by James Fraser