The artwork “Cybernetic Odalisque-Homage to Bela Julesz” was created by Salvador Dali in 1978. It is an oil painting on canvas measuring 200 x 200 cm and can currently be viewed at the Dalí Theatre and Museum in Figueres, Spain. The work combines elements of Op Art, embracing optical effects and illusions, with Dali’s signature Surrealism, a movement known for its unusual imagery and dream-like scenes. This figurative piece pays tribute to Bela Julesz, a renowned psychologist known for his research on visual perception.
The artwork is characterized by a complex tessellation of squares and rectangles that form a mosaic of colors, predominantly in shades of orange, blue, and brown. This geometric pattern creates a visual maze that draws the viewer’s eye across the canvas. Amidst this array of shapes, fragments of a human figure can be discerned, adding to the sense of surrealism and emphasizing the theme of cybernetics within the odalisque, a traditional figure in Orientalist art. The interplay of colors and shapes not only confuses the perception but also pays homage to Julesz’s work in the field of visual perception, making the observer part of the experimental interaction with the painting.
