Cherub

About This Work

Bridget Riley's 2020 print titled Cherub exemplifies the artist's continued exploration of optical phenomena, a hallmark of her distinctive style. Known primarily as a leading figure in the op art movement, Riley's works challenge the viewer's perception through their dynamic interplay of form, line, and color. Though Cherub is a print, it reverberates with the same intensity and visual complexity found in her iconic paintings, capturing the viewer's gaze and engaging them in a visual experience that is as cerebral as it is soothing. Riley's journey into the abstract, characterized by an evolution from semi-impressionist figure painting to pointillist landscapes before embracing the op art style in the 1960s, reveals a dedication to investigating visual perception. Cherub, created as recently as 2020, serves as a testament to Riley's lifelong commitment to this exploration. At the intersection of her rigorous academic background from Goldsmiths' College and the Royal College of Art, and her diverse professional journey through teaching and advertising, Riley's work is infused with a unique synthesis of precision and spontaneity. The print Cherub marks an adept use of process to evoke both movement and stillness, using rhythmic patterns and precise geometry to create an oscillation that is naturally intriguing. The work embodies a meticulousness and a rhythmic vitality that have become synonymous with Riley's oeuvre. While her op art pieces are known for producing disorienting effects on the viewer’s eye, Cherub tempers this disorientation with a sense of balance and harmony, invoking an engagement that is both immersive and reflective. Within the Zebra One Gallery collection, Cherub by Bridget Riley offers an important connection to the history and development of abstract art, continuing her tradition of challenging visual perception and enriching the dialogue on the interplay between art and optics.

About the Artist

Bridget Louise Riley CH CBE (born 24 April 1931) is an English painter known for her singular op art paintings. She lives and works in London, Cornwall and the Vaucluse in France. Riley was born at Norwood, London, the daughter of a businessman. Her childhood was spent in Cornwall and Lincolnshire....

Zebra One Gallery

Contemporary Art • Hampstead, London

Established 1976 • 50 years of excellence in contemporary art • Professional authentication and provenance research