Artist: Vasa (Velizar Mihich)
Title: Monumental Block (Pink & Purple)
Medium: Original Laminated Acrylic with Custom Birch Plinth
Sculpture: 51" × 64.5" × 2.125"
With Plinth: 80" × 72" × 14"
Year: 1987
Signature/Inscription: Incised lower corner: "# 2849 Vasa C 1987"
Documentation: Includes Gallery Certificate of Authenticity
"Monumental Block (Pink & Purple)" is a commanding laminated acrylic sculpture by Vasa (Velizar Mihich), exemplifying the artist's sustained exploration of color, light, and geometric form. The sculpture itself measures 51 inches high, 64.75 inches wide, and 2.125 inches deep, and when displayed on its custom birch plinth, reaches a total height of 80 inches, a width of 72 inches, and a depth of 14 inches, creating a monumental presence appropriate for large-scale interior or gallery installation.
The work is composed of layered acrylic panels in shades of pink and purple, producing dynamic optical effects as light interacts with the surfaces. Vasa's signature manipulation of color and transparency allows the sculpture to change perceptually depending on the viewer's perspective and the surrounding lighting, emphasizing both depth and vibrancy within the prismatic construction. The precise geometry and architectural quality of the sculpture situate it within Vasa's broader oeuvre of monumental acrylic works, which are recognized for their ability to engage spatial perception while maintaining the clarity and purity of color field principles in three dimensions.
Institutional recognition of Vasa's monumental sculptures is extensive, with works held in the collections of the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Brooklyn Museum, and the New Orleans Museum of Art, underscoring his significant contribution to contemporary sculpture focused on light, color, and material interaction. "Monumental Block (Pink & Purple)" demonstrates the artist's mastery in transforming acrylic into architectonic forms that invite careful viewing from multiple angles, while also providing an impactful, large-scale presence.
The sculpture is incised at one lower corner with "# 2849 Vasa C 1987" and is accompanied by a gallery certificate of authenticity.
About Vasa (Velizar Mihich):
Vasa Velizar Mihich, professionally known as Vasa, is a Serbian-American artist born in 1933 who has played a pivotal role in the development of contemporary sculptural abstraction. Educated at the University of Belgrade, Vasa began his career teaching design and color theory before relocating to the United States in 1960, where he joined the Los Angeles art community. His academic foundation in design and color principles directly informed his artistic practice, guiding his exploration of the interplay between light, color, and form.
In the mid-1960s, Vasa shifted from painting to three-dimensional sculptural works, experimenting with laminated acrylic to create transparent, vividly colored panels. His sculptures are known for their striking gradations of color and their ability to engage viewers as light passes through and reflects across the forms. By translating concepts of color theory into tangible objects, Vasa extended the principles of Color Field painting into spatial and experiential dimensions, challenging traditional notions of perception and creating dynamic interactions between artwork, environment, and observer.
Vasa's contributions to contemporary art have been recognized internationally. His works are included in major collections such as the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Honolulu Museum of Art, and the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium. These institutional placements underscore his importance as a pioneer of color-based sculpture and affirm the significance of his practice within both American and global contemporary art contexts.
Throughout his career, Vasa has remained committed to exploring the potential of color and light in sculpture, establishing a body of work that balances technical rigor with visual innovation. His pioneering approach has influenced generations of artists and continues to shape the discourse on the relationship between color, space, and material in contemporary art.
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