Fete 1989

This is a Bridget Riley piece, full of rhythmic color and playful shapes. I can imagine her, probably with immense patience, laying down each stripe, each color, in its precise place, building up this vibrating surface, one step at a time. It’s got this quality, like, a very chic game of dominoes. The paint is flat and smooth; the colors are so carefully chosen that they seem to hum against each other. Look at how the black and white stripes break up the flow, giving the eye a little jolt. They aren't soft and blended. It's all very controlled, yet the overall effect is almost dizzying. Riley's work is often like this, playing with perception, and color, but also with this quiet, disciplined attention to detail, something that makes you think about how much energy and consideration goes into making something look so effortless. It makes you want to grab your own colors and start playing. You know?