“Stop to appreciate this striking furnishing fabric, where abstract forms playfully challenge our perception of everyday patterns. It's a fascinating example of how art can transform functional objects into thought-provoking designs.”
This large furnishing fabric, titled "Linoleum," presents a repeating pattern of abstract forms that challenge traditional notions of decorative design. The screen-printed cotton features a dynamic interplay of organic and geometric shapes, rendered in a palette that suggests both natural elements and manufactured surfaces. Look closely at the way the forms seem to undulate and overlap, creating a sense of depth despite the flat medium. The artist, Tony Oursler, made this work in 1980, a time when he was exploring diverse mediums and pushing boundaries beyond conventional painting or sculpture. This piece speaks to a broader artistic movement of the era that questioned the hierarchy between fine art and utilitarian design, inviting us to consider how art integrates into our daily lives and surroundings.
- Artist
- Tony Oursler
- Date
- 1980
- Medium
- Cotton, warp-float faced satin weave; screen printed
- Location
- Art Institute of Chicago
- Dimensions
- 292.4 × 144.3 cm (115 1/8 × 56 3/4 in.); Repeat: 44.8 × 44.8 cm (17 5/8 × 17 5/8 in.)
What to Notice
Four details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

The subtle variations in tone within each printed shape.
How the pattern seems to shift and ripple across the fabric.
The deliberate, almost hand-drawn quality of the lines.
The way the abstract forms suggest faces or figures if you look long enough.
Tony Oursler
1957 · United StatesTony Oursler is a multimedia artist who transforms video projection into expressive faces on dolls, objects, and even buildings, creating captivating, often unsettling, narratives.
More from Contemporary Art
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Beyond Oursler and Contemporary Art: works from the same years.
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Four Mona Lisas
Andy Warhol · 1978 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Unfinished painting
Keith Haring · 1989
Same era · 1960s–1990s
La grande bellezza
Pierre Alechinsky · 1965
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Alka Seltzer
Roy Lichtenstein · 1966 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Untitled (Portrait of Ross in L.A.)
Félix González-Torres · 1991
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Corpse and Mirror II
Jasper Johns · 1974 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Untitled (Brown and Gray)
Mark Rothko · 1969 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Olive Picking
Reuven Rubin · 1967 · Rubin Museum
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Wu Street
Xu Bing · 1993 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
Krach
Philip West · 1987 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
A Face from Georgia
Ivan Albright · 1970 · Art Institute of Chicago
Same era · 1960s–1990s
It's a New Age
William Hook · 1992 · Art Institute of Chicago


