Himer 1957 - 1961

Victor Vasarely made Himer using paint to explore geometric abstraction. The limited palette of blacks, whites, and grays gives it a stark, architectural feel. Looking at the surface, there's a flatness, almost like it’s been printed. But you can tell it was made by hand, with some subtle variations in the paint application. The edges of the shapes are sharp, but not perfectly clean, which gives it a bit of human touch. The way the colors sit next to each other creates a kind of visual vibration. It's like the shapes are pushing and pulling against each other, creating a dynamic tension. Take that solid black circle in the bottom corner, it anchors the whole composition, acting as a visual counterweight to the more angular forms. Vasarely's exploration of optical effects and geometric forms reminds me a bit of Josef Albers’ work. But Vasarely takes it to another level, pushing the boundaries of perception and creating a unique visual language.