INTRODUCTION:  Op Art made its appearance in the United States and Europe in the late 1950s.  Op Art, also called Optical Art, was popular along side Pop Art.  Branching from the geometric abstraction movement, Op Art includes paintings concerned with surface kinetics.  It was a movement which exploits the fallibility of the eye through the use of optical illusions.

 Key Characteristics:  Moire patterns  Black and white used in contrast  Concentric circles

 Key Facts:  Use of reduced geometric forms to stimulate movement.  In competition with pop art, op art had a strong influence in graphic and interior design during the 1960s, finding its way onto everything from furniture to wallpaper.

Key Figures: Bridget Riley, Victor Vaserely, Richard Aunszkiewicks, Larry Poons. Short for “optical art” the style, derived from the abstract expressionist movement, used a variety of visual effects to create illusions of movement and vibration.

Impact furnishing fabric: Evelyn Brooks for Heals Fabrics London, Brooks’ screen- printed cotton design uses monochrome colors and geometric forms to stimulate movement.

OP ART ARTISTS: VICTOR VASARELY: Victor Vasarely is internationally recognized as one of the most important artists of the 20th century. He is the acknowledged leader of the Op Art movement, and his innovations in color and optical illusion have had a strong influence on many modern artists.

An optical illusion by Hungarian-born artist Victor Vasarely.

JOSEF ALBERS:

SANDOR KARA:

BRIDGET RILEY:

Movement in Squares, by Bridget Riley 1961.

winged curve

RICHARD ANUSZKIEWICZ

Intrinsic Harmony, by Richard Anuszkiewicz, 1965

Some examples about op art:

Logo for the Mexico City Olympic Games, 1968: Lance Wyman, 1968

YAVUZ KAYA HAN İ FE YILDIZ MÜGE ERSÖZ OZAN TUSTAS