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The VASARELY Foundation in Aix en Provence

vasarely

The exhibition dedicated to Victor Vasarely (1906-1997) at the Pompidou Center in Paris gives a renewed interest to this artist whose works we know more than his face. His geometrical forms have impregnated the collective unconscious of the quinquas (so me!) without us really knowing the whole course of this brilliant visual artist, marking the 1970s with his optical games of visual and colored abstract forms that we all recognize.

Last week, piqued by curiosity, I took the time to stop at the Foundation built by Vasarely in Aix en Provence. Located in the "Jas de Bouffan" district, in front of the crossroads of our vacation highways, and in front of the Sainte Victoire mountain (immortalized by Cézanne), this place had been carefully chosen for a free and symbolic access.

I discovered that Vasarely wanted to build not only a building that could integrate his works into the structure itself, but above all an interdisciplinary place of research and debate, for future generations of architects and artists.

The Vasarely Foundation in Aix en Provence built in 1976

In the car, each time we drive past this strange building, our gaze lingers on the monumental geometrical forms of the façade. It is therefore necessary to take the time to stop and visit this place so particular in its foundation. It is not a traditional museum but a place devoted to spaces and built around 16 hexagonal modules; it was necessary to dare to build such a space to present colored geometric forms integrated into the walls.

The effect remains surprising when we go through the hexagons presenting 6 different walls each time with references of course for each theme.

In the book "Vasarely, a saga in the century", Pierre Vasarely, his grandson, accompanied by Philippe Dana, tells the story of the incredible rise and the legal torments linked to the inheritance and the management of the Foundation until the happy outcome of the Court of Cassation in 2015.

The coast of the artist goes up

According to Artprice, the artist is ranked 223rd in the world with over 16,000 sales!

Demand is growing as evidenced by the upcoming May 4, 2019 sale of a painting titled "Dell-3" at the Monaco auction house estimated at €120,000 to €150,000.

Before becoming the master of "op art", (op for optical), he trained at the modern school of the Bauhaus in Budapest. He is an artist who has impregnated our western advertising culture and flooded the visual space marking an entire era.

The success of abstract, geometric colored forms remains one of the fundamental approaches to the monumental pieces proposed by today's international contemporary artists who have been inspired by Vasarely.

Moreover, the signature of a recognized artist of the XXth century contributes to give a sure value to the market. After having known international success, its value dropped sharply at the turn of the year 2008 in parallel with the market crisis.

Let's hope that his works are now appreciated at their true value!