For the first time in 50 years, a major
retrospective of Victor Vasarely’s
black and white paintings.

Robert Sandelson is proud to present Victor Vasarely in Black and White, a collection of key works from the artist’s black and white period of the 1950s and 60s. Not only some of the most visually arresting and iconic works of his oeuvre, they represent the groundbreaking turning point in Vasarely’s artistic career that would establish his reputation as founding Op Artist and revolutionary of Modern Art.

It was whilst working as a graphic designer in Paris in the 1930s that the young Hungarian produced his first Zebra paintings, now considered as the first works of the Op Art movement, which featured in the inaugural exhibition of Galerie Denise René, Paris (1944). However, it was his show Naissance (1951) that marked the dawn of Vasarely’s defining monochromatic period and became the catalyst for the overwhelming series of optical and kinetic experiments that followed and were revisited throughout his lifetime.

Influenced by society, nature and his surroundings; works often reflect the artist’s personal experiences. Periods such as Denfert and Belle- Isle (1949-1954) for instance, were inspired by the cracking white tiles lining the walls of the Denfert-Rochereau metro in Paris, or by the natural forms of waves, shells and pebbles found at the seaside village of Belle-Isle. The creative visionary was able to translate these ideas into manifold geometric, kinetic designs that echoed revelations of the Gestalt Theory.

Vasarely equally foresaw the importance of the role of science in art. His work from the 1960s onwards was primarily inspired by scientific and astronomical explorations, and engages with structures that are not visible to the eye –atoms, galaxies, micro and macro-structures of the world- as in his series CTA, the abbreviated title of which refers to a solar system. Constantly striving to achieve optimum visual impact, Vasarely created tangible, interactive artworks that marked early developments in Kinetic and Op Art and would later be recognised as precursors to digital reproduction. His aim was to make works that could not only be appreciated but also replicated by anyone, otherwise he felt art would lose its power. Vasarely’s influence resonates in the work of Bridget Riley, particularly through her own use of black and white in her early paintings of the 60s. The Museum of Modern Art, New York celebrated their success in the landmark exhibition, The Responsive Eye in 1965.

Today, Vasarely’s esteem in Modern Art and society is venerated through his impact on architecture, fashion and design. This retrospective exhibition on Vasarely emphasizes his importance as a pioneer, like Riley in the development of Op Art. Vasarely in Black and White forms the first significant show of his black and white works since his seminal exhibition in 1951. With this summer’s widely acclaimed exhibition on Optical and Kinetic Art at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Strasbourg and the fashion world’s renewed love affair with black and white, there appears no better time for Robert Sandelson to return to this theme.

For further information and images please contact:
Britta Vetter or Clare Milligan on 020 7439 1001 or email info@robertsandelson.com