Discover the best in Bridget Riley.
A Pioneer of the Op Art movement
b. 1931
Bridget Riley
Bridget Riley's intricate and stylish geometric abstractions played a pivotal role in pioneering the Op Art movement during the 1960s. The British painter arranged colourful shapes on her canvases to create optical effects that induced the appearance of vibration or movement, thus giving Op Art its name. While Riley initially created black-and-white canvases early in her career, she is renowned for her compositions featuring vibrant hues.
Riley studied at Goldsmiths' College and the Royal College of Art, briefly working in advertising before dedicating herself fully to artmaking. Her works have been showcased in major cities worldwide, including London, New York, Los Angeles, Paris, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Hong Kong. They are housed in esteemed collections such as Arts Council England, Centre Pompidou, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Tate, and Stedelijk Museum, commanding significant prices on the secondary market.
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Biography
Bridget Riley, a luminary of Op Art, explores optical and chromatic phenomena and stands as a central figure in modern and abstract art. Her geometric patterns provoke perceptual disruptions, urging viewers to consider the physical sensations of looking.
Riley was born in Norwood, London, in 1931, and spent much of her childhood in Cornwall and Lincolnshire. She studied at the Royal College of Art from 1952 to 1955, initially focusing on figurative subjects in a semi-Impressionist style. However, it was in the 1960s that Riley's style underwent a transformation, evolving into the iconic Op Art approach that would dominate the British abstract scene. Op Art, known for its exploration of optical effects, creates artworks that induce disorienting and dizzying sensations—a hallmark of Riley's work.
From its inception, Riley's seemingly simple yet vibrant and psychedelic compositions have defined contemporary British art, continuing to captivate audiences with their dynamic visual impact.
Bridget Riley's career soared in the early 1960s, catalysed by her ground-breaking 1961 artwork Movement in Squares. This painting marked a pivotal moment for Riley, initiating her exploration into the mesmerising geometric patterns that would define her artistic journey. With its captivating and dizzying effects, Movement in Squares established the foundation for Riley's future masterpieces.
Another significant turning point came in 1967 with Riley's Stripes series, which introduced vibrant colour to her previously monochromatic black-and-white works. The repeated stripe motif provided a stable framework for Riley to delve deeper into the visual effects of colour and various combinations, enriching her compositions with expanded perceptual and optical possibilities. The Stripes series remains iconic for its distinctive and visually dynamic qualities.
Bridget Riley's artworks have been featured in numerous auctions, achieving prices ranging from 26 USD to 5,783,812 USD, depending on factors such as size and medium. Since 1998, the highest recorded auction price for Riley's work stands at 5,783,812 USD, achieved by her painting Gala, which sold at Christie's London in 2022.
Bridget Riley's mature artistic style, which emerged during the 1960s, was notably influenced by sources such as the French Neo-Impressionist artist Georges Seurat. A pivotal exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery in 2015–2016, titled Bridget Riley: Learning from Seurat, highlighted how Seurat's pointillism inspired Riley's transition towards abstract painting.
Bridget Riley employs geometric shapes, lines, and colors to craft artworks that exhibit a distinct visual rhythm. Her signature style is characterised by repetitive patterns that create optical illusions, compelling viewers' eyes to traverse the canvas.
Bridget Riley initially worked exclusively in monochrome until the late 1960s, integrating optical and scientific effects into her paintings. Her early artworks often feature repeated geometric shapes, creating the illusion of movement on flat surfaces and captivating viewers' attention as the canvases seem to oscillate.
Riley's early works aimed to capture the dynamic brilliance of nature through non-figurative abstraction, focusing on conveying the sensations and emotions inspired by natural phenomena rather than directly representing landscapes.
Throughout the 1960s, Riley evolved her practice by incorporating grey tones into her artworks. However, it was her pioneering black-and-white compositions that catapulted her to international acclaim after her debut solo exhibition at Gallery One in 1962.
Riley attributes her deep interest in colour and form to the influences of Italian Futurists and French masters like Henri Matisse and Georges Seurat. Her practice also reflects elements of Pointillism and Divisionism, modern art movements that explore the eye's capacity to perceive colours juxtaposed to create a fuller spectrum. Like predecessors such as Sonia Delaunay and Josef Albers, Riley sought to elicit emotional responses from viewers through her use of colour.
Bridget Riley, a pioneering figure in the Op-Art movement, continues to innovate at 91 years old. Over the past year, total print sales in the Riley market have reached £814,041.
Riley's prints offer a diverse range of colors, design compositions, paper sizes, edition sizes, and span from the 1960s to the 2020s. Each print is an independent work of art, distinct from her paintings and not merely reproductions in a smaller format.
Her prints have garnered a growing international following. In 2020, the UK dominated the market with 81% of sales, while the US accounted for 10% and other countries 9%. By 2021, the UK's share decreased to 79%, with the US market increasing to 7.5% and other countries rising to 13.5%.
Bridget Riley's Iconic Abstract Works
Riley’s work is renowned for its mesmerising optical illusions that challenge viewers' perceptions and engage their senses. Her intricate patterns and precise use of colour and shape create dynamic...
