Untitled (Annual Edition) 1971

Richard Anuszkiewicz made this vibrantly coloured silkscreen print, Untitled (Annual Edition), on a square board sometime in the latter half of the 20th century. Anuszkiewicz was a Polish-American artist associated with the Op Art movement. Op Art explored optical illusions and the way the human eye perceives color and form. Works like this one emerged in a period of great social change. The postwar period and economic boom led to new kinds of consumer culture and popular aesthetics. The regular forms and vibrant colors, achieved through industrial production, reflect this shift. The "Annual Edition" in the title points to the institutional and market contexts for such a work. Prints like this were often produced in multiples, making art more accessible. In many ways, the ideas behind Pop Art sought to challenge the traditional art establishment and its conventions. To fully appreciate this piece, one might consult publications on the history of printmaking, the Op Art movement, and the changing role of art institutions in the late 20th century. This all helps to situate the work in its time.