Vasarely: Op Art Fever

Vasarely

The man with a thousand and one lives

His name remains forever associated with his colourful geometric compositions and works based on optical illusions. A visual artist and founding father of the Op Art (or optical art) movement, Victor Vasarely (1906-1997) had several lives. Born in Hungary, this jack of all trades trained at the Muhëly, the Bauhaus School of Budapest, which fostered a multidisciplinary approach to art. On his arrival in France, he became a graphic designer for major advertising agencies. Designed in the late 1930s, “Zebra” is now considered as the founding work of the Op Art movement. In the years that followed, Vasarely continued to forge his artistic identity focusing on lines and colour. He diversified his projects, opening a foundation in Gordes, designing logos, facades and even the cover of David Bowie’s album “Space Oddity”…

Voir cette publication sur Instagram

Une publication partagée par Fondation Vasarely (@fondation_vasarely) le 6 Févr. 2020 à 7 :20 PST

Blurring the lines

Optical and kinetic illusions 

Optical illusions reign here, plunging visitors into a world where shapes combine and interact to infinity. Outside, a mirror-like pool of water reflects the vast, ultra-contemporary building. When you open the doors, you are met with seven “cells”, each measuring 11 metres in height, housing Vasarely’s 42 architectonic installations. The works are set out to guide visitors through a series of colours, materials, and optical and kinetic illusions. The permanent exhibition devoted to the “Father of Opt Art” relates the story of Vasarely’s work from his beginnings as a graphic designer to his utopian “Polychrome City of Happiness” project.