Exhibition from the Tate Collection

Tate

Tate’s vision is to serve as artistically adventurous and culturally inclusive art museums for the UK and the World.

Tate delivers this through activities in its four galleries across the UK (Tate Liverpool, Tate St Ives, Tate Britain and Tate Modern), its digital platforms and collaborations with its national and international partners.

At the heart of Tate is its collection of art, which includes British art from the 16th century to the present day, and international modern art from 1900 to the present day.

“Tate is delighted to be working with WOW Cultural District to stage The Dynamic Eye at the Atkinson Museum. WOW’s ambition to create a unique, cultural destination in Porto is a bold and welcome endeavour. The combination of art, culinary delights and a well curated selection of retail and hospitality, is an important addition to the Portuguese cultural scene. As a new ‘cultural district’ in Porto, WOW encompasses a variety of innovative spaces for local and global audiences. Visitors from established art enthusiasts to families, can relax, be inspired, and immerse themselves in culture, with world-class art, food and drink. WOW is leading the way in Porto, creating a new model of cultural engagement for all. Tate is very pleased to contribute to this mission through our collaboration.”

Neil McConnon, Director of International Partnerships, Tate

The Exhibition

During the 1950s and 1960s, many artists started to bring ideas from mathematics, scientific research and colour theory into their work, and some began using computers to create images.

These artists saw the viewer not as passive spectator but as active participant, engaging with art in real time and space. Their works often trigger complex visual sensations, activated by the viewer’s perception of shape, colour and pattern. Sometimes this effect is intensified by the inclusion of kinetic parts that create real or perceived movement.

Optical art emerged during this period. Artists combined simple lines, geometric shapes, and eye-popping colour to create optical effects and illusions. Kinetic Art was closely associated with Op Art, encompassing art utilising motors, moving elements and sources of energy to challenge art as a static form.

This exhibition revisits Optical and Kinetic Art from a global perspective. It weaves together artists like Victor Vasarely, Jesús Rafael Soto, Alexander Calder and Frank Stella, closely associated with these movements as well as their predecessors and contemporary practitioners.