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Op Art More Art

OP ART STYLE

The Op art movement emerged in the 1960s, mirroring the counterculture of the time in its embrace of visual trickery, graphic shapes and bright colors.

Spreading across Europe and the Americas, the style — whose name is short for “optical art” — influenced advertising, fashion and interior design before fading in the early ’70s.

Op art remained significant, however, for artists and scientists interested in the nature of perception. And today, it’s seeing a resurgence of interest from collectors and interior designers.

Op artists played with the principles of perception, manipulating line, shape, patterns and color to create the illusion of depth and movement. They drew on and evolved methods developed by past movements, from Impressionism to Abstract Expressionism, to produce intense visual experiences.

All the Op artists shared a focus on the gap between what is and what we perceive. Each, however, had a distinct approach to the issue and a unique visual style.

On 1stDibs, find a collection of Op art that includes works by Josef Albers, Bridget Riley, Jesús Rafael Soto and more.

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Style: Op Art
Jewel coloured vibrant op art abstract geometric painting French 1960s
Jewel coloured vibrant op art abstract geometric painting French 1960s

Jewel coloured vibrant op art abstract geometric painting French 1960s

Located in Norwich, GB

A fabulous example of 1960s geometric/op art, displaying all the fun, playfulness and vibrancy of the style. Op art, short for optical art, is a style of visual art that uses optical illusions. Typically, they give the viewer the impression of movement, hidden images and vibrating patterns. Its roots can be traced back to Cubism, Futurism, Constructivism and Dada. The maker of this stunning piece is Tony Gonnet (1909-2004) an artist close to those who shaped modern art and its history. Working in Casablanca in 1940 he met André Breton and Saint-Exupéry, who were both on their way to America. Unable to obtain a visa for himself, Gonnet returned to Paris in January of 1942. Living on Rue de Seine, he became one of the figures of Saint-Germain-des-Prés and numbered amongst his many friends Jean-Paul Sartre, Simone de Beauvoir, Jean Genet – who prefaced his first Parisian exhibition in 1952 – as well as Albert Camus, Simone Signoret, Boris Vian, Jacques and Pierre Prévert and many others. In 1941, in the ennui of Casablanca, Tony Gonnet had started to draw, and then paint, in a Surrealist style. In 1946 he abandoned figurative surrealism in favour of abstraction, making sole use from then on of geometric forms and shaded tones, in his own unique style. His works aim to achieve harmony of shapes and colours, and thus to bring joy. Tony Gonnet loved life, and said that each of his works was an offering made to it. With solo shows in major Paris galleries...

Category

1960s Op Art More Art

Materials

Oil, Board

Untitled #1, 1964 from New York Ten
Untitled #1, 1964 from New York Ten

Untitled #1, 1964 from New York Ten

By Mon Levinson

Located in New York, NY

This dynamic work was realized by the esteemed 20th Century modern artist Mon Levinson in 1964. The work was realized in 1964, and printed in 1965 by Chiron Press in New York- the same year that Levinson was included in the seminal Op-Art exhibition "The Responsive Eye", alongside contemporary luminaries such as Bridget Riley. An identical work from this edition resides in the permanent collection of the New York MoMA. This mixed media work consists of an translucent vinyl sheet layered over a print- part etching, part lithograph. The clear vinyl sheet is embossed with a tight pattern of sinuously curved repeating black lines and is subtly raised in places- creating a subtle three dimensionality and dynamic sense of movement. The paper is inscribed with the same recurring pattern of snaking black lines, like a fine filigree, with two weighty black geometric forms that appear to crowd the composition. Smaller geometric forms reside within creating the apparition of negative space in the bone hued paper. The juxtaposition of the delicate texture and colossal feeling forms imbues the piece with a stunning dynamism and tension, helping to explain why Levinson is among the most influential and important artist to come out of the Op Art movement. His work is in the permanent collections of important institutions around the world including the Museum of Modern Art as well as the Whitney Museum of American Art in New York. Signed by the artist and marked 18/200. The work comes presented in a custom walnut and white gilt frame...

Category

1960s Op Art More Art

Materials

Mixed Media

Richard Anuszkiewicz - Soft Lime, Signed/N 1970s geometric abstraction Op Art
Richard Anuszkiewicz - Soft Lime, Signed/N 1970s geometric abstraction Op Art

Richard Anuszkiewicz - Soft Lime, Signed/N 1970s geometric abstraction Op Art

By Richard Anuszkiewicz

Located in New York, NY

Richard Anuszkiewicz Soft Lime, 1976 8 Color silkscreen on Lenox 100% Cotton paper 38 × 46 inches Pencil signed and numbered 41/75 on the front; bears printers blind stamp from NYIT (New York Institute of Technology) Unframed We have not seen another example of this gorgeous mid century silkscreen...

Category

1970s Op Art More Art

Materials

Pencil, Screen

Untitled (from the Meta series)
Untitled (from the Meta series)

Untitled (from the Meta series)

By Victor Vasarely

Located in New York, NY

Color screenprint. Signed by the artist in pencil, lower right. Numbered 225/225 in pencil, lower left. Published by Editions Denise René, Paris, with the blind stamp. Sheet siz...

Category

1970s Op Art More Art

Materials

Screen, Color

Caroni
Caroni

Caroni

By Jesús Rafael Soto

Located in New York, NY

Color screenprint on heavy white wove paper, 1971. Signed by the artist in pencil, lower right. Numbered 146/175 in pencil, lower left. Published by Denise René and Hans Meyer, Pa...

Category

1970s Op Art More Art

Materials

Screen, Color

Vintage Hardback Monograph: Planetary Folklore (Hand signed by Victor Vasarely)
Vintage Hardback Monograph: Planetary Folklore (Hand signed by Victor Vasarely)

Vintage Hardback Monograph: Planetary Folklore (Hand signed by Victor Vasarely)

By Victor Vasarely

Located in New York, NY

Victor Vasarely Planetary Folklore (Hand signed by Victor Vasarely), 1973 Hardback monograph with dust jacket Hand signed by Victor Vasarely on the first front end page 9 1/2 × 9 7/...

Category

1970s Op Art More Art

Materials

Paper, Ink, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset, Board

ANUSZKIEWICZ, monograph (hand signed and inscribed by Richard Anuszkiewicz)
ANUSZKIEWICZ, monograph (hand signed and inscribed by Richard Anuszkiewicz)

ANUSZKIEWICZ, monograph (hand signed and inscribed by Richard Anuszkiewicz)

By Richard Anuszkiewicz

Located in New York, NY

Richard Anuszkiewicz ANUSZKIEWICZ by Karl Lunde (hand signed and inscribed by Richard Anuszkiewicz), 1977 Hardback monograph with dust jacket (hand signed and inscribed by Richard An...

Category

1970s Op Art More Art

Materials

Paper, Mixed Media, Lithograph, Offset, Ink, Board

Life (limited edition, hand signed and numbered Op Art First Day Cover (framed)
Life (limited edition, hand signed and numbered Op Art First Day Cover (framed)

Life (limited edition, hand signed and numbered Op Art First Day Cover (framed)

By Yaacov Agam

Located in New York, NY

Yaacov Agam "Life", (Hand Signed and numbered), 1980 Hand Signed, Stamped Gallery Art Center Envelope with French postage stamp & numbered Triple signature "Agam" and number 46/54 on the front Frame Included: floated in original vintage frame This very special vintage limited edition work features the “Agam” design by Yaacov Agam, a pioneer of Op Art. It is the first artist...

Category

1980s Op Art More Art

Materials

Lithograph, Offset

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Located in Norwich, GB

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Located in New York, NY

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Untitled

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By Victor Vasarely

Located in New York, NY

This stunning Serigraph was realized by the acclaimed 20th Century Hungarian-French modern Artist Victor Vasarely in the United States circa 1970. Printed in a small edition, this gr...

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Op Art more art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Op Art more art available for sale on 1stDibs. Works in this style were very popular during the 21st Century and Contemporary, but contemporary artists have continued to produce works inspired by this movement. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Bridget Riley, Richard Anuszkiewicz, Victor Vasarely, and Yaacov Agam. Frequently made by artists working with Screen Print, and Mixed Media and other materials, all of these pieces for sale are unique and have attracted attention over the years. Not every interior allows for large Op Art more art, so small editions measuring 2 inches across are also available. Prices for more art made by famous or emerging artists can differ depending on medium, time period and other attributes. On 1stDibs, the price for these items starts at $640 and tops out at $16,333, while the average work sells for $1,450.