Anuszkiewicz was an integral member of the Op Art Movement, championing a visual style that made use of optical illusions. One of the foremost colorists in American art, Anuszkiewicz was mentored by Josef Albers, who influenced the young artist's interest in the effects of color on visual perception. Beginning in the 1960s, Anuszkiewicz created canvases boasting repetitive geometric patterns. A number of high profile exhibitions of his work at the Whitney during that decade sparked curatorial interest in his work. The exhibition Americans 1963 at the Museum of Modern Art, coupled with a Time Magazine article on the artist as well as the MOMA's 1965 exhibition The Responsive Eye cemented Anuszkiewicz' status as one of the preeminent American Op artists, if not its leader.
With rigorous internal structure defined by radiant linear geometry, this painting exemplifies Richard Anuszkiewicz’s mastery of perceptual tension. At first glance, you may be tempted to read it as purely abstract, yet its play with figure-ground dynamics and its spatial illusion of depth connects it to the long tradition of painting.
The central diamond form hovers with remarkable presence, simultaneously advancing and receding as the surrounding radiating and converging lines press against it. The chromatic interplay of red and orange intensifies this effect, lifting the central form forward while holding it firmly in the plane. The composition compels the eye toward its core, yet resists any final arrival, generating a dynamic oscillation that is as much about the sensation of seeing as it is about color and form.
This work stands as a compelling example of Anuszkiewicz’s mature exploration of optical and spatial perception.