Sonora Do 1973

Victor Vasarely made this piece, Sonora Do, with some kind of printmaking process that leaves a smooth, almost untouched surface. I find myself wondering about the mechanical process of making this picture, and thinking about the human need to create perfect forms. The geometric shapes and vibrant colors lock together like puzzle pieces, but with a twist – they create an illusion of depth, like you could fall right into the picture. The purple square on the left makes me think about process. It’s like he changed his mind at the last minute and had to overpaint the purple in the circle. Vasarely is often referred to as the ‘grandfather’ of Op Art because of this kind of playful investigation into the mechanics of seeing. Like Josef Albers playing with color, Vasarely is playing with perception, reminding us that art is always a conversation, a back-and-forth between the artist, the artwork, and you.