Richard Anuszkiewicz

Richard Anuszkiewicz (b. 1930-2020, Pennsylvania) created vibrantly hued geometric abstractions that heralded the Op Art movement of the late 60’s and 70’s. The American artist was known for his mesmerizing paintings; a decade-spanning oeuvre of spiraling chromatic compositions that activate the perceptions of those who contemplate them. On his practice the artist once said, “I’m interested in making something romantic out of a very, very mechanistic geometry. Geometry and color represent to me an idealized, classical place that’s very clear and very pure.”

Anuszkiewicz received his BFA from the Cleveland Institute of Art and his MFA from Yale University, where he studied under Bauhaus master Josef Albers. His work was featured in several land landmark exhibitions, including a defining moment for Op Art at the MoMA’s “The Responsive Eye” in 1965, where he was presented alongside British artist Bridget Riley. Today, his compositions are found in numerous prestigious institutions, including the Art Institute of Chicago, Guggenheim Museum (New York), the Hokkaido Museum of Modern Art (Japan) and the Louisiana Museum (Denmark). In 2000, he was honored with the Lee Krasner Award for lifetime achievement.