Bi-Cheyt

“I did not experience a true revelation of ‘the abstract’ until 1947,” Vasarely reflected, “when I came to realize that pure form and pure color can suggest the world.” From that moment, he began to investigate the optical effects made possible by the mathematical organization of form and color within the picture plane. These discoveries formed the basis of his concept of “plastic unity,” defined by the integration of geometric forms and colors to convey effects of depth and movement. In Bi-Cheyt, the combined geometric patterns of a square and a rhombus create the illusion of four circles projecting outwards. This construction of multiple planes suggests expansive and receding motion, while the contrast between bright tones of blue, green, pink and orange makes the two-dimensional shapes appear to vibrate in space. Throughout his career, Vasarely produced large and significant series of prints, producing variations of the same pattern. Although his notion of “multiples” did not reject the principle of uniqueness, he considered printmaking a medium that furthered the democratization of art.

This text was created in collaboration with the University of Maryland Department of Art History & Archaeology and written by Patricia Ortega-Miranda.