Mach 1963

Victor Vasarely made this painting, Mach, with bright colors in geometric shapes, probably sometime in the mid-20th century. It’s like a playground for the eyes, isn't it? The way Vasarely handles the paint, it feels very direct. The colors are laid down flat and even, like he’s printing them rather than brushing them. Look at how the colors bump up against each other, creating a buzzing tension. There’s this one pink diamond shape near the bottom corner that sort of floats. It’s like he’s playing with how we perceive space, pushing and pulling the picture plane. It's almost too much, but somehow it works. It makes me think about Bridget Riley, another artist who messes with perception. They're both part of this wider conversation about how art can trick the eye and mess with the mind. It’s like they’re saying, “Hey, seeing isn’t always believing!”