Electric Op at Buffalo AKG

In September, one of the most important shows of the year opened with Electric Op. Six years in the making, according to curator Tina Rivers Ryan, the show examines how Op art, video, and digital media evolved together, shaping the way images are created and perceived. The show demonstrates the historical genealogy of digital art, building on previous attempts by curators such as Margit Rosen’s bit international at ZKM in 2008.

Featuring more than 100 works by nearly ninety artists from the past six decades, the exhibition explored how artists use of geometric abstraction and optical illusions led directly to engagement with new technologies, like the computer.

What’s daring about the show is that it brings the story to the present, when most historical surveys end around 1990. By showcasing how contemporary artists like LoVid carry forward the legacy of Op art, the exhibition demonstrates its resonance with the present and past.

Electric Op juxtaposes contemporary digital art luminaries such as Cory Arcangel and Rafael Lozano-Hemmer with historical figures like Bridget Riley and Vera Molnar, repositioning Op art as a key movement in the Information Age—if not the first as Ryan argues.

I spoke to four of the exhibiting artists at Electric Op, including Arcangel and Lozano-Hemmer. They reflect on their unique practices and contributions to the show. Another example of the “moment” digital art had at the end of 2024.