How Has Op Art Influenced The Fashion Trends In The Late 60’s To 70’s Contextual Studies Fashion and art have always been related to each other, both revolving around creativity. Looking into Optical art (Op art) during the 60’s is a way to relate both art and fashion, as the 60’s are a time where history was taking place. In this essay I will look into multiple artists, which have impacted on the op art movement such as Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley. I will also show how the historical events of the 60’s influenced Op art and the link it shared with the fashion industry. Optical art, otherwise commonly known as op art, is art form, which uses space, shapes or lines to create optical illusions of movement, vibrations or depth in an image. Artists, such as Victory Vasarely and Bridget Riley, used geometrics styles to create op art in the 1960’s. The phenomenon of optical art was not a new concept; the history of art included multiple examples of trop l’oeil (also known as ‘trick of the eye’). Time magazine described the new style of art in 1964 as Op art as it created optical effects but it was sometimes called retinal art. The Neo-­‐
impressionism movement as well as cubism, Futurism and Dadaism, inspired this art form. The movement drew on the perception of emotion, physical and colour theories. At the beginning of an era there is change and with change there is a ripple effect on how society and the economy are affected. The 1960’s, often known as the ‘sixties’, were a decade of revolution, not just in its culture but also in fashion, music, sexuality, religion, drugs and many other areas. Another term that is often used to reference this decade was the ‘swinging sixties’ because of its relaxed approach to social taboos such as sexism and racism that was happening during this time period. Many iconic events happened during the 60’s; the election of John F. Kennedy, the 35th president, in 1961 and then assignation in 1963; The assignation in 1968 of the civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr., famous for his Motivation speech ‘I have a dream’ in Washington D.C august 1963. As well as the prominent political events there were movements such as gay rights and a second wave of feminism. Feminism early in the 60’s gained world momentum as women were focusing on changing social norms and culture, not conforming to their image at the time to primarily stay at home and were excluded from occupations. Liberation for women was very strong and the equal pay act of 1963 was enacted. As change was happening new steps for mankind followed not only were females becoming more equal and racism being fought, new steps such as making the first steps onto the moon was achieved as astronaut Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. Victory Vasarely was an iconic artist for this movement. Some claim he was the godfather of Op art. Born on April 9th 1908, Hungary. Vasarely studied medicine initially but then left it to pursue the creative side and took up painting at the Podolini-­‐Volkmann Academy. He ventured in different styles before acknowledging his talent in Op Art. Being influences by artists of the Bauhaus and Abstract Expressionism he took the geometric style without realizing and Amanda Clarkson How Has Op Art Influenced The Fashion Trends In The Late 60’s To 70’s Contextual Studies refined it to pioneer the beginning of the Op art movement. Vasarely’s work became mainstream and was featured in forms of posters and fabrics. The painting Zebra was one of his most famous paintings, which shows several black and white lines that construct an outline of a two zebras. The black and white stripped pattern has been seen in many fabric designs in the 60’s. Another artist that was known for her optical illusion art works was Bridget Riley. Having her father and grandfather in the printmaking medium, art was in her genes. Reily was born April 24th, 1931 in London and went to Cheltenham Ladies’ college and later went onto studying at Goldsmiths College as well as Royal College of Art in London. Before she started to work in her signature style she first explored shape, line and light narrowing down to black and white to fully understand them. This is where she could finally grasp her signature style, Op Art. Movement in Squares, 1961 was one of her famous paintings. The image is multiple squares which are evenly shaped at the outer edge and coming in towards the center begging to morph shape into narrow squares which create an optical illusion of moving squares. Perception is a huge influence in this work and captures Rileys purpose of looking further into the perception of an image instead of the image itself. The black and white colour scheme is very simplistic and has a very minimalist theme. The styles of her pieces were out there and very evolutionary to how art was in the early 1900s. The 60’s were full of important events such as J.F.K becoming president. A new president and a new style of art. The 60’s were an era full of change therefore the art shows the ever-­‐changing moments in that era. Mary Quant is a welsh fashion designer born 11th February 1934. She become one of the British fashion icons of the 60’s. Coming from a mining family background art wasn’t in her blood but that didn’t stop her. Quant went to Blackheath High School and later studied illustration at Goldsmiths College and gained an art education diploma. Then met her future husband and business partner Alexander Greener Figure 1http://blog.boden.co.uk/grown-­‐up-­‐
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whom she had a son with. Quant was also apart of a revolutionary design in 60’s, which was the mini skirt, where she was one of the designers whom took credit for its design. Ossie Clark, also known as Raymond Clark, was an English fashion designer who was popular in the 60’s. Born 9th June 1942 Clark passed away 6th august but still is a renowned designer for his vintage designs by current designers. His Clothing featured the iconic look of the 60’s and 70’s, which was the Op art style of Lines straight, diagonal, thin and thick. The abstract and advancing trend, which related to the current changes of its decade. Its geometric prints that captured the modern trends of the 60’s. Clark has influences many designers of Amanda Clarkson How Has Op Art Influenced The Fashion Trends In The Late 60’s To 70’s Contextual Studies today such as Yves Saint Laurent to Tom Ford. He was born in Warrington, Cheshire in England. He practiced making clothes at a young age for his nieces and nephew and practiced tailoring garments on his dolls and even designed swimsuits for the neighborhood girls before the age of 10. Seeing the potential and creative flair that Clark had his secondary school teacher gave him fashion magazines, Vogue and Harper’s Bazar, which he absorbed the cutting edge fashion and its trends. Finishing in Beamont Secondary Technical School, he attended Reginald College of Art, which is now known as Manchester metropolitan University, up in Manchester at the early age of 16. Clark’s career peak was during the mid 60’s and early 70’s, which was the time frame of the movement Op art. His geometric style was modern and up and coming which was not only popular in London but in New York and Paris. As well as having modern fashion trend his fashion show mimic his bold style choice as his runway show in Berkeley square was the first British fashion show to feature black models, something that was still seen as taboo. Therefore, I believe that Op Art has influenced the fashion trends of the 60’s and 70’s. From the Political and cultural changes of those decades to the modernizing trends of fashion. Both the movement of Op art and Fashion been effected. Artists famous for their modern geometric styled art such as Bridget Riley, have show cased their art in which the pattern has featured in fashion designers of that time’s most iconic looks. The era where change was visible was corresponding to society, which gained inspiration for both artist and designer. As the artists followed the changing times of the 60’s and 70’s their art became bolder and didn’t conform to societies norm, which then became fashions influence as it evolved and became more outrageous. Showing the movement of op art not only had influence on fashion but on other areas. Amanda Clarkson How Has Op Art Influenced The Fashion Trends In The Late 60’s To 70’s Contextual Studies Bibliography Frank Popper (2009) Oxford University Press. http://www.moma.org/collection/details.php?theme_id=10139 Op Art History: Origins and Influences on Op Art. http://www.op-­‐art.co.uk/history/op-­‐art-­‐history-­‐part-­‐iii/ http://www.op-­‐art.co.uk/op-­‐art-­‐fashion/ http://www.op-­‐art.co.uk/bridget-­‐riley/ Shelley Esaak 1960’s art style known to trick the eye http://arthistory.about.com/cs/arthistory10one/a/op_art.htm Ronald Alley, Catalogue of the Tate Gallery’s Collection of Modern Art other than Works by British Artists, Tate Galery and Sotherby Parke-­‐Bernet, London 1981, pp.743-­‐4 http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artists/victor-­‐vasarely-­‐2095 Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ossie_Clark Amanda Clarkson