Elysium
2003
261.0 x 236.0 cm
Bridget Riley (1931 –)
Explore the captivating optical illusions of Bridget Riley (b. 1931), a leading figure in Op Art. Discover her dynamic black & white geometric paintings, explorations of perception, and lasting impact on modern art.
Riley is often associated with the Op Art movement of the mid-1960s, characterized by simple lines and forms, usually in repetitive patterns, that create illusion of movement. She arrived at Elysium’s optical effect by doing rigorous work in 1973 with exquisite small-scale maquettes to explore the interplay of red, blue, and green alternating with white. Personal circumstances forestalled for three decades her exact translation of these studies into the final large-scale painting, in which vertical stripes in a perfectly calibrated sequence emanate a rolling but controlled vibration of colored light. Elysium is a modern evocation of the paradise invoked by its title, an abstract interpretation of the pastoral.
About this artwork
- Title: Elysium
- Artist: Bridget Riley
- Year: 2003
- Original dimensions: 261.0 x 236.0 cm
- Copyright status: Under copyright