In the dynamic landscape of 20th-century art, the name of Klára Spinner (Claire Vasarely) has yet to receive the recognition it deserves, especially when compared to the fame of her husband, Victor Vasarely (Győző Vásárhelyi, 1906–1997), who is celebrated as the father of Op Art and Kinetic Art. As their grandson, Pierre Vasarely, President of the Fondation Vasarely, recalls, ‘Győző and Bonzi’ shared a symbiotic artistic partnership, each influencing the other’s creative evolution. Some of C. Vasarely’s textile designs, are considered the earliest examples of Op Art, as acknowledged by V. Vasarely himself, with her pioneering use of serial patterns, geometric forms and contrasting colours anticipating many of the movement’s defining optical effects. Her oeuvre embodies a seamless synthesis of Bauhaus modernism, surrealism and optical art, contributing to the growing recognition of female abstractionists.

She developed a unique artistic vision grounded in her studies at Műhely [The Workshop] in 1929, a Hungarian art school inspired by Weimar’s Bauhaus and founded by Sándor Bortnyik (1893–1976), and her family’s background in fashion and fabric design. Maison Neubauer-Spinner in Budapest, one of the few fashion houses bringing haute couture to Hungary from Paris, exposed C. Vasarely to an environment where art and commercial design intersected. At Műhely, she excelled in graphic design, printmaking, photomontage, colour theory and typography. Her early works – advertisements, posters and fashion designs – were presented in several exhibitions (such as National exhibitions) in Budapest from the end of the 1920s, among them the 1930 Exhibition of Book and Advertising Art at Budapest’s Museum of Applied Arts.

In 1931 C. Vasarely emigrated to France, to join V. Vasarely, where they got married the same year. The couple made a living from applied art. C. Vasarely focused on graphic design for the Tolmer publishing house and drew illustrations, book covers and advertisements that reflected her Bauhaus training. Between 1930 and 1932, C. Vasarely also created silk patterns for Lyon’s silk industry for the Ducharne company.

The turbulence of World War II deeply affected C. Vasarely’s life and work. As a Jewish artist, she was forced to leave Paris in 1942 and returned to Budapest with her sons to escape the Nazi occupation. Despite the hardships, she continued to work in her family’s hat and fashion business, channelling her creativity into millinery design and fashion journalism, using her artistic skills to support her family. She wrote articles on Parisian trends that were sometimes published with her illustrations in newspapers and magazines (Esti Kurír, Film Színház Irodalom...). Her publications showcased her talent as a cultural observer and visual chronicler.

In 1944, C. Vasarely returned to France, refocusing her career on textile design and tapestry. In 1947 she began working on furniture projects with René Drouet (1899–1993), and in 1948 she collaborated with couturier Jacques Fath for the magazine Femina. Her work with tapestry began as a collaboration with the Atelier Tabard Frères in Aubusson, France, that lasted until 1952. Her tapestries, rooted in a rich chromatic range, seamlessly blend biomorphic elements with geometric patterns, such as floral and architectural fragments, while incorporating the tension created by contrasting colors to bring energy to her distinctive creations. In 1949, she exhibited at the René Drouet gallery and at the 65^thSalon de l’Union des femmes peintres et sculpteurs and then in 1952 at the gallery La Demeure, in Paris. She continued her textile design work throughout the decade.

In 1956, she stopped her creative activities to dedicate herself to her husband’s career, running his workshop and taking an active part in V. Vasarely’s different plans for a museum.

The Vasarely Didactic Museum in Gordes was inaugurated by Madame Claude Pompidou in 1970, and the Architectonic Center in Aix-en-Provence was inaugurated by Monsieur Jacques Chirac in 1976. C. Vassarely fulfilled an important role as the founding member and vice-president of the Vasarely Foundation in France. Since 1976 a permanent chamber dedicated to C. Vasarely has been presented in the Pécs Victor Vasarely Museum, showcasing her works alongside those of her husband and her son, Jean-Pierre Vasarely (aka Yvaral, 1934–2002).

C. Vasarely was among the first Hungarian female artists of her generation to embrace the innovations of the Bauhaus movement as graphic designer, and recognized tapestry’s potential as a contemporary art medium. Her works continue to stand as a testament to her vision, her vibrant tapestries, playful graphic designs, and expressive paintings reflect a unique blend of intellectual depth and artistic sensitivity. C. Vasarely’s legacy is not just a side note to the Op Art movement, but an important chapter in the story of 20th century art, showcasing her pioneering spirit and creative brilliance. Her distinct and visionary style remains deeply relevant to our time, resonating with the contemporary reevaluation of women artists.