Arrest 2 1965

Bridget Riley made "Arrest 2" with wavy lines and a restricted palette, moving across shades of grey. Look at how the image appears to ripple, as if the whole thing is breathing. I can almost feel the artist figuring things out, shifting the dark and light tones in a constant state of trial and error. I feel for the artist and wonder what it was like to be in the studio making this, perhaps thinking about the optical effects, but also the emotional resonance of the work. That particular line on the right, the black one, feels so assured. It seems to communicate a feeling of resolution, even though the rest of the painting keeps moving, like the flux of life itself. Riley is always in conversation with other artists, especially the Op artists, exchanging ideas across time. She inspires us to embrace ambiguity, allowing multiple interpretations and meaning.