In her celebrated Stripes series, Bridget Riley explores the perceptual power of line and color through rigorously structured compositions of parallel bands. Departing from the stark black-and-white optical effects that defined her early work, Riley introduces luminous color relationships that appear to pulse, shimmer, and shift across the picture plane.

Rather than depicting movement, the works generate it within the viewer’s visual experience. Subtle variations in hue, spacing, and rhythm activate the surface so that the work seems to vibrate with light. The stripes function both as formal elements and as agents of perception, inviting sustained looking and heightened awareness of how color is seen, felt, and processed.

Rooted in precise planning yet sensorially dynamic, the Stripes works exemplify Riley’s lifelong investigation into visual sensation. They transform simple linear structures into immersive environments, where balance, tempo, and chromatic harmony produce a quiet but powerful optical intensity.