Blaze Study 1962

Bridget Riley made this Blaze Study in 1962 using screenprint. Look at the way those lines vibrate against each other, creating this mad, dizzying effect. It’s like she’s not just painting a picture, but constructing an experience, you know? The contrast of the slick black ink against the paper is so physical, you can almost feel it buzzing on the surface. Notice how the lines get thicker as they move outwards, like the whole thing is expanding right before your eyes. Then consider the center, all tight and dense, it is like the locus point of the piece. It is such an intense place to start from. Riley’s work reminds me of Victor Vasarely; they both mess with your perceptions. But where Vasarely can feel kind of cold, Riley’s got this warmth to it, maybe because she embraces the wonkiness and isn’t aiming for some kind of perfect illusion. Art is like a big, messy conversation, and Riley is just throwing her voice into the mix.