Serial art is a type of contemporary art in which a group of related pieces is displayed together. Serial art refers to a collection of paintings or three-dimensional sculptures that share a common theme or technique. Other pieces created according to the mathematical rules of modular constructivism are sometimes grouped with this type of art. Op art, hard-edge painting, and systems art are some of the techniques used in serial art. Depending on the ideas and points of view of different artists, many serial art pieces have variations in subject matter and media.
Several artists are well-known for their paintings depicting solid colored shapes arranged in complex patterns. Creating this type of geometric abstraction usually necessitates some forethought as well as a working knowledge of mathematical concepts like congruence. Painters who work with this subject matter frequently use number theory to add adjoining shapes. Many artists create a series of these paintings with different color schemes and shapes. Hard-edged paintings are made with similar shape arrangements that change color abruptly without blending in between.
Optical illusions can be created by some two-dimensional serial art pieces, giving the impression that the viewer is looking at a three-dimensional image. In reference to these optical illusions, this type of painting is known as op art. Many artists use op art to convey the idea that appearances aren’t always what they appear to be.
Artists who work in the field of systems art may use basic scientific principles from systems theory in their work. This discipline establishes links between people and their interactions with one another and with the rest of the world. Serial systems art is a subset of the conceptual art movement that emerged in the 1960s. Digital mediums such as videography or electronic animation are frequently used in contemporary series of systems art.
Many types of serial art adhere to minimalism principles because they are created with the fewest possible elements that artists believe will still have a visual impact. When the artist changes the exact color, size, or number of color blocks in a set of paintings made with solid blocks of color, it becomes a series. When these types of paintings are displayed as a series rather than as a single piece, many viewers find them more interesting. Some artists use these concepts to create minimalist sculptures out of materials like ceramic clay or metal.