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Bridget Riley Abstract Paintings

British, b. 1931

British painter Bridget Riley’s visually spectacular abstractions seem far removed from natural forms. Riley, however, claims she draws inspiration for her paintings and prints largely from nature, which she defines as a “dynamism of visual forces — an event rather than an appearance.”

Indeed, dynamism characterizes her work, which explores how simple geometric forms can create illusions of movement.

Born in 1931, Riley first came to worldwide attention in 1965, when she was included, alongside such other prominent figures as Victor Vasarely and Frank Stella, in the exhibition “The Responsive Eye” at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. The catalogue cover featured one of her paintings, Current (1964), composed of wavy black and white lines that seem to vibrate as they move from the top to the bottom of the canvas.

Since the 1970s, Riley has been experimenting with color, creating works like Nataraja (1993), made up of columns of brightly hued diagonal stripes that seem to pulse rhythmically. By instilling life, movement and energy into flat, geometric forms, she helped pioneer kinetic art.

Browse a collection of Bridget Riley's visionary art at 1stDibs.

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Artist: Bridget Riley
Untitled

Untitled

By Bridget Riley

Located in London, GB

1969 Gouache and pencil on paper 38 x 66 cm 15 x 26 inches signed lower left Bridget Riley is one of the most influential figures in postwar British art, celebrated for her rigorou...

Category

1960s Abstract Bridget Riley Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache, Pencil

Short Sequence. Study for Painting

Short Sequence. Study for Painting

By Bridget Riley

Located in London, GB

1983 Gouache and pencil on graph paper 24.7 x 26 cm 9 3/4 x 10 1/4 in Bridget Riley is one of the most influential figures in postwar British art, celebrated for her rigorous explor...

Category

1980s Abstract Bridget Riley Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache, Pencil

Four Colours, Sequence Part Structured, Part Free

Four Colours, Sequence Part Structured, Part Free

By Bridget Riley

Located in London, GB

1980 Gouache on paper 50 x 49.5cm 19.7 x 19.5 inches Bridget Riley is one of the most influential figures in postwar British art, celebrated for her rigorous explorations of percept...

Category

1980s Abstract Bridget Riley Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Colour Sharpened and Clarified
Colour Sharpened and Clarified

Colour Sharpened and Clarified

By Bridget Riley

Located in London, GB

Pencil and gouache on graph paper 27.9 x 25.4 cm 11 x 10 inches Hand-signed by the artist Bridget Riley is one of the most influential figures in postwar British art, celebrated for...

Category

1980s Abstract Bridget Riley Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache, Pencil

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Artist CV: EDUCATION Master of Fine Arts in Painting Bard College 1986 Bachelor of Science in Art History State University College at New Paltz 1977 Additional Study: New York Studio School (Drawing Marathons) Columbia University, School of Architecture Women’s Studio Workshop TEACHING Professor of Studio Art, Department of Art and Art History, Marist College, Poughkeepsie, NY Coordinator, Interior Design Program, Florence, Italy campus 1992-present AWARDS NYFA Fellowship in Painting 2018 Invitational Award for Outstanding Contemporary Talent, University of Bridgeport, CT 2000 Purchase Prize, “11th National Juried Exhibition” College of Notre Dame of Maryland, Baltimore 1999 First Prize, “Women in the Visual Arts ‘95” Erector Square Gallery, New Haven, CT 1995 Joseph A. 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Mid Century French Abstract Expressionist Black Ink Gestural Painting

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Located in Cirencester, Gloucestershire

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Interconnections - colorful, contemporary, geometric abstract, paper collage

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Previously Available Items
Sequence Study, Turquoise, Ochre, Magenta, 1973

Sequence Study, Turquoise, Ochre, Magenta, 1973

By Bridget Riley

Located in London, GB

1973 Gouache on paper 30.5 x 191 cm 12 x 75 inches Bridget Riley is one of the most influential figures in postwar British art, celebrated for her rigorous explorations of perceptio...

Category

1970s Abstract Bridget Riley Abstract Paintings

Materials

Paper, Gouache

Bridget Riley abstract paintings for sale on 1stDibs.

Find a wide variety of authentic Bridget Riley abstract paintings available for sale on 1stDibs.