Fission 1963

This is "Fission," an optical painting by Bridget Riley, now residing at MoMA, and it’s pure visual energy. Riley’s not just putting dots on a surface; she's orchestrating a visual experience. Look at how the dots shrink and squeeze towards the center. It's like the whole thing is breathing, expanding and contracting before your eyes. There's a real physicality to this piece. You can almost feel the surface moving, like you’re standing on unstable ground, because of the way the contrast between black and white plays with your perception. It’s a testament to how simple forms, repeated and tweaked, can create such dynamic, almost dizzying effects. I'm reminded of Victor Vasarely's geometric abstractions. But where he was interested in creating illusions of depth, Riley is much more concerned with the sensation of seeing itself, and the process of perception. Art is about ambiguity, baby! Enjoy the ride.