The Responsive Eye (1965)
#tbt to The Responsive Eye, MoMA’s 1965 investigation of Op art, which became an instant sensation. The exhibition introduced American audiences to vanguard European artists such as Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely and brought together some 125 examples of what was called “Optical” or “Retinal” art—art with an unusual sense of dynamism that, even while remaining completely static, seemed to move along with the viewer. In a three-part CBS report on the exhibition, the celebrated journalist Mike Wallace noted that the works on display broke the rule of that art should “sit still and behave itself.” This sense of disruption, which curator William Seitz claimed could elicit “delight, anxiety, and even vertigo,” created immense public excitement, and The Responsive Eye quickly became MoMA’s most popular exhibition to date. It also launched the mid-1960s design craze for Op, which spilled over into fashion magazines and interior décor.
Check out the out-of-print catalogue, images of the exhibition, and more at http://mo.ma/2pGrFLl. 32 of #52exhibitions #MoMAhistory
