Neptune, from Eight Impressions 1970

Victor Vasarely made this print, Neptune, with flat, bright colors, and shapes that suggest movement and depth. Can you feel the flatness of the paper and the illusion of a sphere emerging from the surface at the same time? I imagine Vasarely carefully planning each circle, each division of color within. It’s like he’s saying, "Hey, I can create a whole new world with just a few simple moves!" There's something deeply satisfying about the way the colors vibrate against each other, the way your eye is tricked into seeing volume where there is none. What might it have been like to sit in his studio, watching this ordered chaos come to life? This piece sits nicely with the work of Bridget Riley, who also played with perception. Artists are always riffing off each other, aren't they? That’s how art evolves, one idea bouncing off another.