St. Céré 1967

Editor: This is Victor Vasarely’s “St. Céré,” an acrylic on canvas created in 1967. It's a series of vibrant, geometric shapes arranged in neat rows and columns. I’m struck by the playful yet rigid structure. How do you interpret this work in terms of its formal elements? Curator: The strength of "St. Céré" resides in its meticulously calculated arrangement of form and color. Observe how Vasarely uses the square as a foundational module. Do you notice how it’s then divided and subverted with circles and diamond shapes, creating an interplay between stability and dynamism? Editor: Yes, and the repetition is almost hypnotic, but each grouping feels distinct. The color palettes shift slightly in each row too, adding a sense of rhythm. It feels like a system of visual language. Curator: Precisely. Think of semiotics and structuralism – how do the individual shapes function as signs within the larger structure? How does Vasarely construct a visual language where form communicates and generates new meaning? What is the syntax of the painting? Editor: That’s a fascinating way to look at it. I hadn't considered the shapes as parts of a formal, visual syntax. It moves past simple geometry. Curator: Vasarely pushes the eye to oscillate between seeing individual forms and the global composition. How does the painting employ color and composition to produce perceptual tension for the viewer? Editor: I appreciate the perspective on how the visual tension and the shapes, as a type of language, contribute to the work's meaning. Thank you for this deeper insight into the structure. Curator: My pleasure. Reflecting upon its structural language encourages an appreciation of this painting as not only a visually compelling work, but a piece that activates the human eye.