Op Art

Bridget Riley, Loss, 1964

Op Art, or Optical Art is a form of abstract art that became popular in the United States in the 60’s. Op art is based on mathematics and surface kinetics to create optical illusions. The paintings of the Op artists often use simple shapes and colors to create various visual effects to trick the eye, or trompe l’oeil. The trick with Op art was using a flat picture plane to create impressions of three dimensionality and often times, movement.

Lead figures of the movement were Bridget Riley (b. 1931) and Victor Vasarely. Other artists associated with the style were M. C. Escher, Richard Anuszkiewicz and Kenneth Noland. Most Op art is completely abstract and non-representational, although some artists, most notably, M.C. Escher, used representational subject matter to create the same effect.