Purple Squares 1986

Victor Vasarely made this optical painting with neat blocks of purple, lilac, and pink. Just imagine him, maybe with some groovy music playing in the background, working out these colour combos and geometric shapes. I really get a kick out of the way the pattern messes with your eyes, like the squares are popping out or sinking in, depending on how you look at them. Do you feel a slight nausea? It’s all part of the fun, I guess! You know, colour is so key to this piece. Vasarely's like a magician, using these smooth surfaces to trick us into seeing depth where there isn't any. This pattern reminds me a bit of Bridget Riley's stuff, but also, weirdly, of old-school quilt designs. It's like Vasarely is remixing all these different art forms, from high art to craft, and making something totally new. Anyway, let’s be honest, it's all painting, right?