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Op 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
Bellatrix
Located in Palo Alto, CA
Victor Vasarely Bellatrix, 1970 is a painted wooden relief on aluminum that is hand-signed by Victor Vasarely (Hungary, 1906 – France, 1997) and is inscribed ' VASARELY E.A. VII' on ...
Category

1970s Op Art

Materials

Wood, Paint

Fuji V, Op Art Oil Painting
Located in Long Island City, NY
An abstract painting by Tony Bechara from 2001. An abstract, optical painting representative of the artists conceptual principles of color usage, organization and randomness. Artist...
Category

21st Century and Contemporary Op Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Rose Horizontal -- Screen Print, Stripes, Patterns, Op Art by Bridget Riley
Located in London, GB
BRIDGET RILEY Rose Horizontal, 2018 Screenprint in colours, on Fabriano 5 paper Signed, titled, dated and numbered from the edition of 75 Printed by A...
Category

2010s Op Art

Materials

Screen

Bianco, Op Art Painting by Victor Vasarely
Located in Long Island City, NY
Victor Vasarely’s Op Art painting generates a sense of movement as it appears to warp into a sphere that is overlaid with stripes in a geometric pattern. Victor Vasarely, Hungarian ...
Category

1980s Op Art

Materials

Oil

"Couleur Additive Perseus" by Carlos Cruz-Diez, 21st Century, Optical Art
Located in Köln, DE
"Couleur Additive Perseus" has a stunning appearance and an optical effect, which catches the beholder's attention from the very first time. Carlos Cruz-Diez from Venezuela was one o...
Category

2010s Op Art

Materials

Screen

Operenccia, Large OP Art Painting by Victor Vasarely
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Victor Vasarely, Hungarian (1908 - 1997) Title: Operenccia Year: 1954/1986 Medium: Acrylic on Board, signed, dated and titled in marker verso Size: 40 in. x 66 in. (101.6 cm ...
Category

1950s Op Art

Materials

Acrylic

Electric Tulip II
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Lowell Blair Nesbitt, American (1933 - 1993) Title: Electric Tulip II Year: 1980 Medium: Oil on Canvas, signed and dated verso Size: 84 x 60 in....
Category

1970s Op Art

Materials

Oil

Struttura
Located in New York, NY
This hand painted piece by Lucchetta is part of the op art series where he is able to catch movement with his unique technique. Lucchetta is challenging himself. His precise stable h...
Category

2010s Op Art

Materials

Ink, Acrylic, Cardboard

City - Lithograph, Print, Reverspective, Contemporary Art, Patrick Hughes
Located in London, GB
Hand-painted multiple with lithography. Signed in pencil, inscribed 'Proof', a proof aside from the edition of 40. In a perspex presentation box. Published by Flowers Gallery, Lon...
Category

Early 2000s Op Art

Materials

Lithograph

Superficie Rossa
Located in New York, NY
This piece is delicately hand painted with a pen over cardboard. With his unique style and technique, Roberto transfers movement to his art works, making his individual lines connect...
Category

2010s Op Art

Materials

Ink, Acrylic, Cardboard

Bianco Nero
Located in New York, NY
This piece is delicately hand painted with a pen over cardboard. With his unique style and technique, Roberto transfers movement to his art works, making his individual lines connect...
Category

2010s Op Art

Materials

Ink, Acrylic, Cardboard

Lacerazioni
Located in New York, NY
This piece is delicately hand painted with a pen over cardboard. With his unique style and technique, Roberto transfers movement to his art works, making his individual lines connect...
Category

2010s Op Art

Materials

Cardboard, Ballpoint Pen

Light Magenta Square
Located in Long Island City, NY
Artist: Richard Anuszkiewicz Title: Light Magenta Square Year: 1978 Medium: Acrylic on Canvas, signed and dated verso Size: 60 x 60 inches Referenced as 1978.9, pg 184 in "Anuszkiew...
Category

1970s Op Art

Materials

Canvas, Acrylic

Thunder, Abstract OP Art Oil Painting on Canvas by Tony Bechara
Located in Long Island City, NY
An abstract painting by Tony Bechara from 1984. An abstract, optical painting representative of Bechara's conceptual principles of color usage, organization and randomness. Artist...
Category

1980s Op Art

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Op Art art for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Op 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. If you’re looking to add art created in this style to introduce contrast in an otherwise neutral space in your home, the works available on 1stDibs include elements of blue, purple, orange, red and other colors. Many Pop art paintings were created by popular artists on 1stDibs, including Victor Vasarely, Roy Ahlgren, Victor Debach, and Yaacov Agam. Frequently made by artists working with Screen Print, and Paint 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, so small editions measuring 2 inches across are also available. Prices for 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 $66 and tops out at $350,000, while the average work sells for $1,616.

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