Bridget Riley is well-known since the mid-1960s for her distinctive, optically vibrant paintings, called “Op Art”. She characterised her work to the art critic David Sylvester in 1967 as “High-voltage”. Her work explores optical phenomena and juxtaposes color either by using a chromatic technique of identifiable hues or by selecting achromatic colors. In doing so, her work appears to flicker, pulsate and move, encouraging the viewer’s visual tension.

By Efi Michalarou
Photo: David Zwirner Gallery

When I begin a painting, I might have a general idea in mind. As I work, I abandon any pretext and follow the process letting it guide me. Ultimately, I want the paintings to have a presence to them, an aura that grabs and holds you. The artist Bridget Riley is an influence. Over time, I want the work to reveal itself. With each interaction, a new layer revealed.