Quadrature c. 1979

Victor Vasarely made this crazy thing, Quadrature, playing with squares and circles. The colours are like pure sunshine and candy – yellows, reds, greens, blues, and purples – that pop right out at you. I'm thinking Vasarely probably started with a basic grid, then warped it, inflated it, and twisted it like it's made of rubber. It's so orderly, yet so warped. Like a perfect system that’s gone haywire. I imagine him, totally focused, shifting these shapes around, trying to nail that perfect optical illusion. Look at how one square morphs into a squashed circle, then a diamond. Each tiny decision, each shift of colour, creates a ripple effect across the whole surface. It reminds me of some other artists that work with grids, like Agnes Martin, but she did something totally different with them! Ultimately, artists are constantly riffing off each other, seeing what happens if they push an idea a little further. It is a reminder that art isn’t about answers, but about asking questions, and enjoying the process.