Artist of Hungarian origin who grew up in Budapest. From 1930 onward, he was active in Paris. One of the leading figures of geometric abstraction and a pioneer of op art, an art movement which plays with the optical illusion. Since the 1950s, he sought to define this approach by formulating a series of manifestos. He referred to his abstract work as kinetic art, aiming to create the illusion of movement through visual effects. At the beginning of 1960s, he developed the theoretical concept of a visual alphabet, titled "Planetary Folklore," in his manifestos. He envisioned applying his artistic ideas to the decoration of buildings.