Post War Sculptures — A1165: From Baselitz to Vasarely
Lawrence W. Carroll was an Australian-born American painter who established a career on both sides of the Atlantic. In his early career Carroll worked as an illustrator for The Progressive, The Village Voice, The New York Times, and other periodicals drawing political illustrations. However it is Carroll's career as a painter that is most significant. His approach to materials, to the scale and structure of the objects is highly distinctive.
Georges Noël was a French artist, a representative of French informel.
In the mid-1950s he moved to the United States and began to create works in impasto, or, as he called them, palimpsests.
Palimpsests are old handwritten pages that have been partially scraped and then reused. Georges Noël uses the concept of palimpsest and creates his canvases with sand, crushed silica and raw pigment, giving each work a three-dimensional and energetic feel.
Georges Noël was a professor at the Minneapolis School of Art before returning to Paris.
Victor Vasarely, a seminal figure in the Op art movement, was a Hungarian-French artist celebrated for his pioneering contributions to geometric abstract art. Born Győző Vásárhelyi in Pécs, Hungary, in 1906, Vasarely's artistic journey led him to Paris, where he honed a distinctive style marked by optical illusions and kinetic art. By the late 1940s, he had developed his iconic approach, utilizing geometric shapes and a limited color palette to create artworks that seemed to move and vibrate. His work "Zebra," created in 1937, is often cited as one of the earliest examples of Op art, showcasing his fascination with creating the illusion of depth and movement on a flat surface.
Throughout the 1950s and 1960s, Vasarely's exploration into optical effects deepened, leading to significant series like his "Vega" works. These pieces are characterized by their illusionary three-dimensional space, seemingly pushing and pulling the viewer into the canvas. His dedication to optical and geometric abstraction was not just a pursuit of aesthetic innovation but also an exploration of the viewer's perception, making the observer an integral part of the artwork.
Vasarely's influence extended beyond the canvas, impacting architecture, sculpture, and even space exploration. In 1970, he founded the first museum dedicated to his works in Gordes, followed by the establishment of the Fondation Vasarely in Aix-en-Provence in 1976, showcasing his vision of integrating art with the environment. His artworks have found homes in prestigious institutions like the Museum of Modern Art and have been celebrated in exhibitions worldwide.
For collectors and experts in art and antiques, Vasarely's works offer a mesmerizing blend of scientific precision and artistic expression, encapsulating a moment in art history where the boundaries between viewer and artwork blurred. His legacy is a testament to the power of visual perception and the endless possibilities of abstract art.
For those interested in delving deeper into Victor Vasarely's visionary world and perhaps acquiring a piece of this history, signing up for updates on new product sales and auction events related to Vasarely's works is highly recommended. Stay informed and embrace the opportunity to own a part of the optical and geometric abstraction movement that Vasarely so brilliantly pioneered.