KIV-SIV c. 1958 - 1964

Victor Vasarely made KIV-SIV sometime during his lifetime, using geometric forms and bold color contrasts. You can see how Vasarely is really into that red/blue dynamic. It’s not just color; it’s a system, a way to build space with flat shapes. Looking closely, the surface isn't super smooth, there's texture in the application of the paint. It’s like he’s building up layers, but not in a way that hides the process. You can almost see the hand at work, even though the overall effect is super precise. See that bit in the centre of the image where he has these little squares nested together, some with dots? The squares feel slightly misaligned. It’s like he’s inviting us to look closer, to question what we think we see. Vasarely’s work makes me think a little of Bridget Riley, how she also explored perception through abstraction. But while she goes into those wild illusions, Vasarely keeps it grounded. Both these artists show how abstraction can be a powerful tool for exploring how we see the world.