Sonora VIII 1973

Victor Vasarely made this piece, Sonora VIII, with clean lines and a bright but limited color palette. He’s really focused on the geometry, how simple shapes can create an illusion of depth. It’s all about seeing what isn’t really there! The way the colors interact is key. Look at the way he uses flat, opaque colors. This gives the piece a real graphic punch. The shapes sit right on the surface, but they also trick your eye into seeing 3D forms. What really gets me is the way each mark is so precise, yet the overall effect is so playful. Take a look at the way the colours appear to fold together, it's almost as if the canvas has been folded over on itself like origami. Vasarely is totally in dialogue with artists like Josef Albers, who also explored color relationships, but Vasarely brings a unique sense of fun to the conversation. In the end, art is a process of endless exchange. It isn't about fixed meanings but about opening up possibilities.