“Pop-Up Op-Art: Vasarely” by Philippe UG
Paper engineer Philippe UG pays homage to the grandfather of optical illusion art in his newest book
Victor Vasarely is widely recognized as the grandfather of Op-Art, the short-lived but highly impactful movement that brought optical illusion to the canvas and sculpture. Seemingly contemporary because of its computational element and use of high-contrast color, Vasarely arguably conceived of the Op-Art style in the 1930s, revealing his prescient aesthetic perspective. Though the process itself was clearly complicated, the resulting pieces are totally engaging, mesmerizing generations of aesthetes of all ages.
Paper engineer Philippe UG has created an incredible homage to Vasarely, reconstructing seven of the artist’s greatest works into paper sculpture for his newest book, “Pop-Up Op-Art: Vasarely.” The pop-up serves as a splendid backdrop for Vasarely’s pieces, adding even more dimension to the already multi-faceted collection. UG takes careful consideration in his constructions, using his medium to create structures that are both delicate and perplexing.
Vasarely’s grandson Pierre Vasarely prefaces the book with thoughtful acknowledgement to all artists involved, calling the book an “accurate reflection” of his grandfather’s work that shows “how his own art can be rediscovered by a great talent of the present day.” Beyond that, the book opens Vasarely’s work to a broader audience, making his art more accessible than it’s ever been. “Pop-up Op-Art: Vasarely” promises to make a fan of both Vasarely and the art of paper sculpture out of anyone.
“Pop-Up Op-Art: Vasarely” is available on Amazon through Prestel Publishing for $25.
Images by Cool Hunting
