R Magazine, Ex-TeenArt_Issue 1_Authenticity Jun. 2015 | Page 94

CHARACTERISTICS
Op Art is characterized by the technique developed to create movement in the art piece and
plays on the fallibility of the eye. Op art works
give the impression that they are moving. They
rely on optical illusions, thus destabilizing the eye
of the viewer. The observer immerses himself into
the painting at the very first glance. He is the natural motor of the artwork. That’s how you make
art accessible to everyone! The viewer questions
his reality and feels a sensation of dizziness close
to unpleasure. Yet, he stays captivated, almost
absorbed by the phenomenon. Op artists play on
visual perception and show that our senses are
not always reliable and that they can be duped by
illusions.
These artists have revolutionized art, making it
accessible to everybody. By putting the viewer at
the heart of art, Op Art became the predecessor
of contemporary art. Its success was planetary;
even fashion and design industries took inspiration from this movement.
TECHNIQUES
To create this illusion of movement, artists use
different artistic techniques such as lines superimposition and colour contrasts or weaving. A depth
almost tangible takes form. The artwork seems to
vibrate, to undulate and to slip though it is completely static.