PHILIPPE UG

Description

Widely accepted as the "father" of Op-art, Victor Vasarely worked his whole life to create mesmerising works that were visually both complex and accessible. Now paper artist Philippe UG has transformed seven of Vasarely's most beautiful works into paper sculptures in his newest pop-up book. As readers turn the pages, Vasarely's creations spring to life in delicate and vibrant three-dimensional structures that trick the eye and excite the imagination. Whether you're a long-time fan of Vasarely or pop-up books in general, this unique book offers a visual experience that readers will turn to again and again.

Pop-Up Op-Art: Vasarely by Philippe Ug is a striking and inventive paperback publication that brings the principles of Op Art into three-dimensional form. Published in 2014 (ISBN 3791372025), the book is conceived as a paper-engineered tribute to Victor Vasarely, the pioneering figure of optical and kinetic art.

Rather than functioning as a conventional illustrated book, this work unfolds as a sequence of dynamic pop-up constructions. As each page is opened, geometric forms rise from the surface, creating shifting patterns and visual vibrations that echo Vasarely’s experiments with movement, depth, and perceptual instability. The reader becomes an active participant, with the artwork changing according to viewpoint and light.

Philippe Ug is internationally recognised for his mastery of paper engineering, and in this volume he combines technical precision with artistic clarity. The pop-up structures are carefully designed to translate Vasarely’s two-dimensional compositions into sculptural objects, while remaining elegant, balanced, and surprisingly robust for a paperback format.

The book appeals to a wide audience: collectors of artist’s books, admirers of Op Art, designers, and anyone interested in the relationship between art and perception. It also works as an accessible introduction to Vasarely’s visual language, communicating its core ideas through direct physical experience rather than explanatory text.

As a collectible publication, Pop-Up Op-Art: Vasarely occupies a space between book and artwork. It reflects both Ug’s creative ingenuity and Vasarely’s enduring influence, making it a memorable and visually engaging piece for display, study, or careful interaction.

Images © Various. All Rights Reserved.

5 STARS OUT OF FIVE