LAPIDAIRE – B 1971

Curator: I find this visually arresting, it’s so clean and precise. Editor: Agreed! At first glance, I find the bold geometric shapes in "LAPIDAIRE – B," an acrylic on canvas created in 1971 by Victor Vasarely, to be playfully disorienting, like a deconstructed puzzle. Curator: Yes, Vasarely was interested in the optical effects, pushing the boundaries of perception through meticulously crafted compositions. Note how he achieved this illusion through the strategic placement and coloring of geometric forms, generating an almost pulsating sense of movement. Editor: The systematic approach to the production of this image cannot be ignored; it feels industrial, almost impersonal, a mass produced graphic rather than a hand-made artwork, what do you make of that relationship, particularly with something so consciously aesthetic? Curator: That’s precisely the point, the questioning of high and low art! These flat planes of color deny any gestural intervention, while Vasarely embraced reproducible methods. These shapes are like prefabricated components slotting together, reflecting an engagement with modular design and the culture of consumption. The hard-edged precision evokes a mass-produced aesthetic which forces the viewer to challenge their notion of art. Editor: Precisely, this hints at a broader social critique about the mechanization of art and its accessibility to a wider audience through new printing technologies. These interlocking geometric blocks and inverted triangles almost appear as modular units, components of a larger, perhaps unrealizable architectural project, made all the more impressive when considering the impact on industrial design beyond simply painting. Curator: Absolutely. Vasarely created a visual language suited for reproduction, reflecting a utopian ideal of art democratized. So ultimately it represents an optimism and enthusiasm for the industrial and technological revolutions of the late 20th century. Editor: Which brings us back to where we started! Thank you for helping me dive more deeply into that artwork, its impact, both aesthetically, and as a physical piece of acrylic on canvas, is much more clear to me now. Curator: The pleasure was all mine, that has given me something new to think about!