Anuschka Blommers & Niels Schumm

Anuschka Blommers & Niels Schumm

Anuschka Blommers & Niels Schumm from Amsterdam in the Netherlands have created a series of extremely interesting and subtle Op Art portraits for Hector Magazine.

At first you may not notice that there is anything there other than black and white parallel lines, but on closer inspection you’ll see that there is in fact a hidden portrait in each image.  Brilliant and original.

All images copyright Blommers & Schumm / Hector Magazine 2012.  Please visit these sites to find out and see more of these fascinating portraits.

Marc Jacobs Op Art collection

Marc Jacobs Op Art collection

Every once in a while we get to see a fantastic Op Art inspired fashion collection.  This time it’s from influential American fashion designer Marc Jacobs.

Marc Jacobs Spring 2013 collection features sharp black and white lines and strong repeating geometric patterns and has clearly been influenced by 1960s fashion and the work of Op Artists like Bridget Riley.  You can see more of this inspired collection on the Marc Jacobs website.

All images © Marc Jacobs 2012: http://www.marcjacobs.com/marc-jacobs/womens/spring-13-ready-to-wear

Michael Kidner @ Flowers Gallery, London

Michael Kidner @ Flowers Gallery, London

A new Michael James Kidner RA (1917-2009) – one of the original pioneers of Op art in the mid 1960s – exhibition has opened at the Flowers Gallery in London (Flowers, 82 Kingsland Road, London E2 8DP, +44 (0)20 7920 7777).  The exhibition runs from the 12th September 2012 to 20th October 2012.  Entrance to the exhibition is free and we would strongly recommend that you go to see this one if you are in London over this period.

3 Sets of Primaries - 1967 - Michael Kidner

3 Sets of Primaries – 1967 – Michael Kidner

“Dreams of the World Order, Early Paintings explores four areas of Michael Kidner’s painting practice: After Image, Stripe, Moiré and Wave. Works are predominantly from the 1960’s and are prime examples of Kidner’s progressive experiments with optical effects and rational procedures, inspired by his preoccupation with how space, pattern, and form function. A year after his death in 2009, a roll of paintings was discovered at his Hampstead Hill Gardens studio. This exhibition provides a unique opportunity to view these iconic works, (some of which have not been displayed since they were created,) alongside others from the same period.”

Blue, Green, Pink (Times Magazine) No.2 -  c.1964 - Michael Kidner

Blue, Green, Pink (Times Magazine) No.2 – c.1964 – Michael Kidner

 

Butterfly Wings - 1966 - Michael Kidner

Butterfly Wings – 1966 – Michael Kidner

Circle after Image - 1959-60 - Michael Kidner

Circle after Image – 1959-60 – Michael Kidner

Red Green and Blue - 1963 - Michael Kidner

Red Green and Blue – 1963 – Michael Kidner

 

Gdansk Op Art murals

Gdansk Op Art murals

It’s great to see Op Art transforming and bringing to life these otherwise dull communist era built flats in Gdansk, Poland.

The original design was done in 2010 with the murals being realised and completed shortly after.  You can see the original design – which differs from what you see above – here (and below).

Op Art Murals in Gdansk - original design

Op Art Murals in Gdansk – original design

The murals were painted by young artists from Fine Arts Academy in Gdansk to commemorate No 303 Polish Fighter Squadron which was one of 16 Polish squadrons in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. It was the highest scoring RAF squadron of the Battle of Britain.  Rafal Roskowinski the founder and lecturer at the Mural division of the Academy (who has also been responsible for many other Gdansk murals) said: “No 303 squadron was not an average unit.  They were Polish knights and they gave a good lesson to the bandits…”

Thanks to Joanna Potratz for the photos and for finding the story.