Artwork copyright Francis Celentano. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2016.

Artwork copyright Francis Celentano. Photo courtesy of Washington State Arts Commission, 2017.

Exana #15, 1993

Francis Celentano
American (born 1928, died 2016)

Location: Shoreline Community College, Shoreline

About the Artwork

Francis Celentano's Exana #15 creates an optical illusion to compel the viewer toward a "responsive perceptual experience." It causes the viewer to look more deeply and question what they see at first glance versus what is actually in the painting. Celentano painted a flowing gradient of colors that blend into one another.

This artwork was acquired for the State Art Collection in partnership with Shoreline Community College.

About the Artist

Francis Celentano (1928-2016) was one of the pioneers of Op Art and a professor at the University of Washington in Seattle for thirty years. He created paintings and sculptures that investigate perception and color theory. Op Art explores how vision functions and the effect on our viewing experience as a result.