Bartos Saro – MIRAGE paintings – op-art style

Bartos Saro – MIRAGE –  op-art

Op-art is a very unique variety of abstraction. Op-art is often otherwise known as visualism. It is an art direction whose task is to influence the viewer’s vision. This direction belongs to the trend of abstract painting. Influencing the viewers’ intellect or emotions is of less importance. In his works of the Mirage series, Bartos Saro uses optical illusions and light effects. Additionally, the unique painting technique used by the artist when viewed closely, creates the impression of depth and vibrating movement. 

Saro offers us a living op-art image that is in constant interaction with the viewer and that is constantly changing. The painter uses lighting effects in his op-art works. He applies deep dark, matte fragments. Elements of the painting with thick sand paint, with an expressive drawing – absorbing light. Others, covered with thick glass varnish, emit intense reflections – the color covered with them disappears and the reflected light appears. Additionally, metallic surfaces have their own unique color, for example, they shine with aluminum green, copper and gold, aniline blue. 

Visualism in Bartos Saro works

A mirage is the phenomenon of creating an apparent image of a distant object. It is the result of refraction of light in layers of air. Other meanings of this term are: unbreakable dream, false hopes or appearances, snot, delusion, illusion. Bartos Saro uses this phenomenon in his op-art paintings.

The view of a mirage is by itself a fascinating and captivating mirage, an illusionary play of light. A mirage is a fascinating reflection and light absorption phenomenon. A very changeable phenomenon – depending on the place from which it is viewed. Lighting is very important, it has the greatest impact on the viewer’s perception. The picture is constantly changing creating not only illusions, but vibrating, pulsating.

Optical illusions occur as a result of the brain misinterpreting the image under the influence of contrast, shadows, and the use of colors. This phenomenon causes the brain to be mistaken automatically. In other words, delusions arise from the automatic mechanisms of perception that usually aid perception. Therefore under certain conditions, however, they can be misleading.