TRIDIM-QQ 1968

Victor Vasarely made this painting, TRIDIM-QQ, with geometric forms and a cool palette of blues, greens, and purples. I wonder what it was like for Vasarely to construct this illusion of depth with flat shapes. Each diamond had to be considered individually, then placed in such a way that they create the appearance of a receding form. It's like building a puzzle, but the pieces are colors and angles, not cardboard. I imagine Vasarely, with his keen sense of color and form, carefully applying each stroke, each diamond a deliberate step in the process. This reminds me of the hard-edge painters, like Ellsworth Kelly, but with a twist. Vasarely injects a sense of playfulness and motion into his geometry. Ultimately, painting is about seeing and thinking, and Vasarely gives us a whole new way to experience space and color. It's a conversation across time, each artist responding to the other, adding their voice to the mix.