Pillango 1971

Curator: Looking at Victor Vasarely's 1971 mixed-media painting, "Pillango," I’m immediately struck by the way the geometric patterns create a dynamic, almost dizzying effect. Editor: It's quite hypnotic, isn't it? The contrast between the golden yellows and cool grays gives it this vibrant energy, but it also feels unsettling, as if the floor is dropping out from under you. I can imagine the cultural excitement about mathematics and technological progress in the late 60s early 70s resonating in this image. Curator: Precisely! Vasarely, a key figure in the Op Art movement, often played with visual perception to challenge our understanding of space. This piece encapsulates his ambition to integrate art with modern life, specifically drawing from scientific structures like those of honeycombs, here morphed to create this unique optical illusion. Editor: What's fascinating is how accessible he wanted his art to be. He rejected the elitism often associated with art institutions and even developed a "plastic alphabet" to allow anyone to create their own Vasarely-inspired works. He was truly attempting to democratize image-making in a very novel way. It's very relevant now with modern digital art making, when images can be generated programatically. Curator: And it wasn’t merely about surface-level aesthetics; for Vasarely, these geometric forms and the perception thereof symbolize something deeper, namely societal shifts. Abstraction allowed Vasarely to reflect on how identities are fragmented and reframed, given social contexts or technology’s intrusion. It provokes us to consider whether visual trickery actually impacts the viewer’s relationship with power structures or political statements communicated. Editor: Yes, there’s definitely an inherent tension in it. The seemingly rational, mathematically precise structure clashes with the irrational, almost psychedelic effect. Curator: Ultimately, “Pillango” is an optical dance – a product of its time and yet incredibly resonant for today's conversations about technology, space, and their intersections with culture. Editor: An experience, more than just an image. Thanks for bringing such an evocative piece to our attention!