Victor Vasarely - Fondation Vasarely

80
1951 – 1955 Worked on an extensive series of works
entitled ‘Noir et Blanc’ (black and white). Created
‘Photographismes,’ large-scale photographic enlargements
of black and white drawings, alongside kinetic images made
up of superimposed acrylic glass panes. Developed and
defined the visual elements of Op art, the movement with
which his name had become inextricably linked. In 1955
published his Yellow Manifesto and received the Critics
Award in Brussels and the Gold Medal at the Milan Triennial.
Completed a series of murals for the University of Caracas
in Venezuela, as well as several architectural integrations
such as Hommage à Malevitch. Initiated a (now legendary)
group exhibition at Galerie Denise René (1955) entitled ‘Le
Mouvement’ (the motion). In addition to Marcel Duchamp,
Alexander Calder and Vasarely, the exhibition included
works by Yaacov Agam, Pol Bury, Jesús Rafael Soto, Yaakov
Agam and Jean Tinguely, and provided a framework and
impetus for the artists who were laying the foundations of
Kinetic Art. Moved to Arcueil.
1955 – 1965 Completed ‘Folklore Planétaire’ (interstellar
folklore) and his ‘Permutations’ series. ‘Unité Plastique’
(pictorial unit) is patented. In the mid 1960’s Vasarely
explored the two and three dimensions of the octagon,
through the Bidim, Hexagon, Vega, Tridim and Line cycles of
work. Participated in numerous exhibitions such as, ‘50 Ans
d’Art Moderne’ at the Palais International des Beaux-Arts,
Brussels (1958): the ‘Inaugural Selection’ at the Solomon R.
Guggenheim Museum, New York (1959): ‘Documenta III’ in
Kassel, Germany (1964), and most notably, ‘The Responsive
Eye’ at the Museum of Modern Art, New York (1965).
Received the International Guggenheim Award in New York
(1964): the Grand Prix de la Gravure in Ljubljana (1965), as
well as, the Grand Prize at the VIII Art Biennale of São Paolo
(1965). Also awarded the Chevalier de l’Ordre des Arts et
Lettres (1965). Moved to Annet-Sur-Marne.
1966 – 1969 Accomplished several architectural projects,
including one for the French pavilion at the World Expo in
Montreal (1967). Numerous group exhibitions, among them
‘Lumière et Mouvement’ (light and motion) at the Musée
d’Art Moderne de la Ville, Paris (1967): ‘10 Ans d’Art vivant
(1955-65)’ at the Fondation Maeght, Saint Paul-de-Vence
(1968). Solo exhibitions at the Sidney Janis Gallery, New York
(1966 and 1968): Galerie Denise René, Paris (1969), and the
Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest (1969).
1970 – 1975 Inauguration of the Vasarely Museum in Gordes
(1970). Developed architectural integrations and educational
programmes, initially for the Museum in Gordes, later
linked to the Vasarely Foundations in America, Germany
and Norway. The Vasarely Foundation is recognised by
the French State in 1971 as a “fondation reconnue d’utilité
publique”. Published four volumes of ‘Plasti-cité’ and
received the International Art Book Award for two of these
volumes in 1971 and 1975. Solo exhibitions at the Galerie
Denise René (1972) and Sidney Jannis Gallery (1972).
Designed the set for the Racine Opera Bérenice, performed
in Hungary.
1976 - 1982 Inauguration of the Vasarely Museum in his
hometown of Pécs (1976). Opened architecture centre as
part of the Vasarely Foundation Aix–en–Provence (1976),
which offered one possible solution for the synthesis of
art and architecture, and additionally was an international
studio for analytical visual experimentation. Held solo
exhibitions at the Caracas Museum of Contemporary Art
(1977), and the Phoenix Art Museum (1979). Created 154
prints that were transported into space by cosmonaut Jean-
Loup Chrétien onboard the French-Soviet mission ‘Soyuz 7.’
These works are later sold for the benefit of UNESCO.
1983 – 90 Vasarely is named an Honorary Citizen of the
City of New York, Officier de l’Ordre des Arts et des Lettres
(1985) and promoted to the rank of Grand Officier de l’Ordre
du Mérite in France (1990). Inauguration of the Vasarely
Museum at the Zichy Palace in Budapest, Hungary (1987).
His wife Klára Spinner dies.
1996 Vasarely Museum closes in Gordes.
1997 Vasarely dies in Paris, March 15, just shy of his 91st
birthday.