Victor Vasarely

VICTOR VASARELY (Pécs, Hungary, 1908 – Paris, 1997).
“YKA”.
Silkscreen print, H.C. edition.
Signed and numbered by hand.
Measurements: 61.5 x 54.5 cm.

Considered the father of Op Art, Victor Vasarely began his artistic training at the Muheely School, founded in Budapest by a student of the Bauhaus. Based in Paris since 1930, it was there that he created what is now considered the first Op Art work, “Zebra” (1937). In Paris, he worked as a graphic designer for advertising agencies. During this period, his artistic style evolved from figurative expression toward a form of constructive and geometric abstract art, focusing on the representation of perspective without vanishing points. Between 1936 and 1948, he regularly participated in the Salon des Sur-Indépendants and the Salon des Nouvelles Réalités. Beginning in 1948, he exhibited regularly at the Denise René Gallery. In the 1950s, his work began to incorporate new materials and media, such as aluminum and glass. He also began creating works that integrated with the space, such as *Homage to Malevich*. In the 1960s, he participated in numerous group exhibitions, such as *The Responsive Eye* at the Museum of Modern Art in New York, as well as solo exhibitions in Europe and the Americas. Among the many awards he received throughout his life, the Guggenheim Prize (1964), the Brussels Art Critics’ Prize, and the gold medal at the Milan Triennale stand out in particular. In 1970, he was also named a Knight of the Order of the Legion of Honor. His work is represented in the museums dedicated to him in Aix-en-Provence, Pécs, and Budapest, as well as in the world’s most important contemporary art institutions, such as the Tate Gallery in London, MoMA in New York, the Guggenheim in Venice, and the Reina Sofía in Madrid.