Question of Viewpoint:
Kati Vilim’s Op Art Reimagined

The Space, Budapest
June 12 through July 11, 2025

French-Hungarian artist Victor Vasarely, widely recognized as the pioneer of the Op Art movement, developed foundational principles during his early training in Budapest, particularly at the Mühely academy. These principles, which explored optical illusions and geometric forms in the mid-20th century, find a compelling reinterpretation in the recent exhibition Question of Viewpoint, featuring works by Budapest-born and New York-based painter Kati Vilim.

This exhibition establishes a critical dialogue with the enduring legacy of Op Art by showcasing Vilim's contemporary approach to geometric abstraction and visual perception. Organized by Linda Bérczi with the consultation of Zsófi Máté, the exhibition comprises two Jacquard textile works, seven midscale oil paintings, and two suites of smaller Venetian plaster on acrylic pieces.

Vilim's paintings and wall tapestries display formal repetitions that, rather than being rigidly formulaic, are dynamically varied, resulting in a complex interplay of visual rhythms and unique permutations. This dynamism, achieved through subtle shifts in color, scale, and the precise arrangement of geometric forms, conveys both disciplined structure and a sense of unrestrained creative freedom. As Máté has observed, Vilim's artistic approach deliberately eschews specific narratives or overt symbolism, resisting direct referential meaning. Instead, her works function as an open-ended visual language, inviting free association and diverse interpretations from the viewer.

These abstract forms are not fixed symbols but rather open visual structures, designed to be imbued with meaning by each observer. In the artist's own words, her work aims to make "invisible things" visible, focusing on abstraction itself rather than representation. The exhibition's title, Question of Viewpoint, consequently extends beyond mere spatial positioning, suggesting a dynamic relationship where perception and interpretation become highly subjective processes. Thus, these geometrically articulated paintings and Jacquard textiles, with their alluring pastel palettes or vibrant ones, do not offer a predefined system of meaning but rather extend a potent invitation for individual engagement and interpretation, ultimately embodying Vilim's singular perspective on the potential of visual kinetics.