181 / 225
3701*
RAPHAEL JESÚS SOTO(Ciudad Bolivar/Venezuela 1923 - 2005
Paris)
Tige vibrante. 1967.
Multiple. Wood, silkscreen, oil, nylon.
71/100. On the backside signed on the
label: Soto. 50 x 24 x 16. Published by Gale-
rie Denise Renée, Paris (with the label).
Jesús Rafael Soto’s art belongs to the
OpArt movement of the 1960s, which
consciously distanced itself from PopArt.
The point of departure for OpArt is a new
way of seeing - a position already claimed
by Pointillism and Impressionism by the
turn of the 20th century, and then taken
to its full extreme by Josef Albers: „Albers
does not let the eye rest; the forms and
colours resist any attempt at a definitive
position. Moreover, colours alter due to
their juxtapositions. This gives apparently
simple forms, even the square, their iride-
scent ambiguity. This is the intrinsic theme
of his painting. What is visible is the conflict
between the physical fact and the psycho-
logical effect. The entire experience of the
viewer is put into question.“ (cit. Walther,
Ingo F. (ed.): Kunst des 20. Jahrhunderts.
Teil I. Malerei, Cologne 2000, p. 345).
While Bridget Riley and Victor Vasarely
occupied entirely opposing positions
within OpArt, the Venezuelan artist Soto
adopted a mid-way position. He combined
OpArt with elements of Kinetic Art, which
was a logical development. The confusion
experienced by the eye leads it to move
more and also produces the impulse to
move the artwork itself.
Despite the different approaches within
this art movement, there are decisive,
common characteristics: „All Op-Artists
have in common their refusal to allow the
viewer’s eye to rest; the denial of a holistic
composition; the compulsion towards
ever-new ways of seeing; the effacement
of the individual hand, and the withdra-
wal of the artistic personality behind the
objective optical event.“ (cit. Walther, Ingo
F. (ed.): Kunst des 20. Jahrhunderts. Teil I.
Malerei, Cologne 2000, p. 347).
CHF 8 000 / 12 000
(€ 7 410 / 11 110)
| 66
Prints, Multiples & Photography