Jesus Rafael Soto (1923-2005) - Half white circle

ABOUT THE PRINT
- Silkscreen print on vellum paper.
- Hand-signed.
- Minimal crease marks.
- Magnificent print with high-contrast colors.
- Unnumbered copy besides an edition of 100.

ABOUT THE ARTWORK

Kinetic Composition. The work depicts a geometric interplay between a black rectangle and a large white circle, whose overlap creates a distinct light-dark tension. The lower half of the circle is crisscrossed by a dense network of horizontal lines that extend beyond the edge of the image and intersect diagonally-a zigzag pattern that appears to vibrate visually. The contrast between the light gray area on the left and the deep, dense black area on the right creates an illusory sense of depth on a purely flat surface. The work is exemplary of Soto's kinetic art: movement and depth are generated solely through visual perception, without anything physically moving.

ABOUT THE ARTIST

Jesús Rafael Soto (1923–2005) was a Venezuelan artist and one of the most influential pioneers of Kinetic Art and Op Art. Born in Ciudad Bolívar, he studied at the School of Fine Arts in Caracas before moving to Paris in 1950, where he became a central figure in the international avant-garde. Soto developed a groundbreaking artistic language based on movement, vibration, and the perception of space, seeking to dissolve the boundaries between painting, sculpture, and the viewer’s experience.

He is best known for his immersive Penetrables, large-scale installations made of suspended elements through which visitors can walk, transforming spectators into active participants. Soto was a key participant in the landmark 1955 exhibition Le Mouvement, considered a founding event of Kinetic Art. His works are held in major museums worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art and the Centre Pompidou. His innovations profoundly shaped the development of contemporary abstract and kinetic art.