Black and White

Anthony Poon, Black and White, mid-1970s, acrylic on canvas, 186 x 186cm, collection of National Heritage Board

Anthony Poon conceptualised the works of the Kite series during his time studying in UK under the influence of Op Art. Rendered on large geometrically shaped canvases, the brightly coloured works of the Kite series present smooth blocks of colours and strong patterns, and a lack of pictorial depth that creates the series’ trademark sense of ‘flatness’. This ‘flatness’ is a necessary component in order to stage the optical effects.

Op Art is based on the retinal stimulation of the eye to produce ‘moving’ artworks, and its renowned illusionary effects are generated through the overlay of certain patterns and colour combinations, resulting in a series of artworks that scintillates through moving patterns and after-images.