Bonhams' Op Art sales to take place in spring

Bonhams will auction a series of Op Art works across several auctions over the spring.

The term is short for Optical Art and refers to pieces that use optical illusions to create a sense of space and depth.

One of the top lots will be Wojciech Fangor’s 1964 work NJ15 (Diptych), which is valued at £140,000-180,000 ($174,034-223,758) ahead of a March 8 auction in London.

Fangor Op Art

NJ15 is the largest canvas by Wojciech Fangor ever to come to auction

Last year Bonhams set a new record for Fangor’s work when a canvas titled M35 made $319,500 in New York. 

The present lot is the largest and best known example of his work to come to auction and so is primed to exceed that result. 

Other artists featuring in the sales include Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely.

Ralph Taylor, Bonhams’ head of post-war and contemporary art in London, said: "Op Art has always been a provocative movement.

“Its artists produced visually striking paintings which challenged viewers' perception of the world.

“This was very much in tune with the spirit of the 1960s, the decade of its greatest influence, but, later, Op Art tended to be overshadowed by the artistic movements that followed.

“Today it is very much back in demand, and over the past two years, Bonhams has seen prices rise dramatically as collectors and public institutions start to re-evaluate and appreciate Op Art's place in art history."

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