Bridget Riley: Flashback

After staring for too long at one of Bridget Riley’s paintings yesterday I started feeling a bit queasy. Her work at real-life scale had an intensely physical effect, something I hadn’t experienced before, I muttered something about feeling like I’d been stabbed in the eyes.

As much as I was impressed by the power of the optical illusions it was the execution of the work that really appealed to me, the lines are so accurate and precise. I was really drawn to the small studies in gouache on graph paper, I could imagine sitting for hours with a fine paint brush tracing endless perfect lines in beautiful gradient colours, that’s my kind of thing.

The exhibition is at Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery from Saturday 5 June – Sunday 5 September 2010.