CTA-105.A

LIGHT SHAPED BY GEOMETRY

In CTA-105.A, the square surface never appears static. The sequence of modules, the transition from black to gold, and the gradual opening of the composition transform the panel into a luminous field that naturally draws the viewer’s eye toward an almost incandescent center.

Light as the protagonist:

The composition is built upon a network of tilted squares that, moving from the outer edges toward the center, gradually change in size, orientation, and chromatic intensity. The darker, more compact tones of the outer band function as an optical frame, while the browns, ochres, and golden hues of the intermediate areas guide the eye toward the radiant yellow core. Here, light is not depicted as a natural phenomenon, nor does it originate from an external source; it emerges entirely from the relationship between geometry and color, giving the impression that the surface is illuminated from within.

A space in constant motion:

Although perfectly flat, the panel suggests a continuously shifting depth. The peripheral modules appear to recede and compress, while the larger, brighter central forms advance toward the viewer. The result is not a traditional perspective but a perceptual space: depending on the viewing distance and angle, the center may appear convex, pulsating, or expanding. The movement does not physically exist within the painting itself; rather, it is generated in the viewer’s eye, making every visual experience subtly different from the last.

The meaning of the CTA series:

During the 1960s, Vasarely developed these compositions by reducing his visual language to the repetition of a single geometric form and, in this work, to a concentrated palette of golden, bronze, and black tones. The artist associated the central radiance of the CTA series with the energy emitted by quasars and pulsars—not to depict a celestial body literally, but to translate into visual form the concept of a force propagating through space. In CTA-105.A, the rotated square, perceived as a diamond, allows this radiation to unfold with remarkable dynamism, creating a powerful tension between mathematical order and cosmic energy.

Gold beyond decoration:

The golden palette is the true perceptual mechanism of the painting. Gold, bronze, ochre, and yellow express varying degrees of intensity, guiding the viewer’s gaze from the perimeter toward the center while the surface itself responds to the surrounding light. Throughout the day, the work may appear warmer, more subdued, or more brilliant. For this reason, it is never entirely identical to itself, establishing a direct relationship with the environment in which it is displayed.

In its 100 × 100 cm format, the balance between structural precision and luminous intensity makes CTA-105.A one of the most accomplished syntheses of Vasarely’s artistic research: a work in which geometry becomes rhythm, color becomes light, and an immobile surface is transformed into a living visual experience.