How Did the Visionary Yves Klein Change Contemporary Art?
"....First there is nothing, then there is a deep nothing, and then there is a deep blue."
Gaston Bachelard, ‘Air and Dreams’, 1944
Dry pigment and synthetic resin on gauze mounted on panel 59 x 78 inch. © The Estate of Yves Klein c/o ADAGP, Paris
There are few figures in contemporary art that have made pivotal changes with their works. Amongst more well-known figures such as Andy Warhol and Duchamp, Yves Klein is relatively unknown yet maintains a special place due to his unique contributions.
Appartement de Robert Godet 9, rue Le-Regrattier, Île Saint-Louis, Paris, France © Photo : All rights reserved © Artwork : The Estate of Yves Klein c/o ADAGP, Paris
Conceptual Art. Minimal Art. Light and Space Art. Installation Art. Performance Art.
So many of these forms of art were first done by Yves Klein. He redefined art to what is now commonplace in contemporary art. Moving away from the canvas or what is obviously seen, a more still life approach that was commonplace before this. Without the influence of Yves Klein, the world of contemporary art might look very different today.
INTERNATIONAL KLEIN BLUE
Klein is best known for his patented International Klein Blue. He worked with a Parisian art paint supplier to develop this shade of blue - ultramarine pigment suspended in a matte synthetic resin binder, which allows the colour intensity to be preserved and bounces the light to show a true ultramarine blue.
The Limited Edition Victoire de Samothrace crystal figurine is important in many ways. It is amongst the first crystal to be created in Yves Klein's International Klein Blue. It also references the iconic Greek sculpture from the Hellenistic era. Lastly, it furthers Lalique's Lost Wax technique to a greater degree.
For Yves Klein, blue connects the ocean and the sky, blue has depth and dimensions, vibrations that viscerally invokes a reaction. It is not safe, it is not comfortable, it is made to provoke, to create a variation of responses when you sit in their presence.
LLADRÓ’S BOLD BLUE COLLECTION
Lladró has always championed a sense of utopia in their pieces. Bringing forward Yves Klein’s philosophy, they’ve used his signature International Klein Blue on animal pieces, focusing on the details that have otherwise been overlooked if these pieces were in colour.
The deep matt blue brings out the texture of each animal and the surface of the porcelain. Each bump and crevice is much more noticeable, highlighting the precision and realism of Lladró capability in creating sculptures. The pieces have an immense presence with their bold and striking colour, dabbed with small touches of Lladró’s signature 24-karat gold lustre drawing the eye to a few key features.
Lladró now adds the Little Monkey to the Bold Blue collection, with other pieces such as Gorilla already retired in 2022 and the Penguin Family close to sold out.
Newest addition to the collection: Little Monkey (left)! The Penguin Family (right) shows an intimate moment shared by a loving family.
LALIQUE'S YVES KLEIN COLLABORATION
By utilizing their unparalleled mastery of light and transparency, Lalique's collaboration with Yves Klein moves beyond the flat monochrome of the original works, using the depth of the crystal to create a magnetic and hypnotic blue that shifts and glows depending on the surrounding light.
Lalique x Yves Klein La Terre Bleue, a reference to Klein's original work. Rendered in clear and International Klein Blue crystal, the form takes on another level of intrigue and intensity.
The collection features two primary masterworks: La Victoire de Samothrace and La Terre Bleue. Originally conceived by Klein in the early 1960s, these forms were reimagined by Lalique using the ancient lost-wax casting technique (cire perdue). La Victoire de Samothrace transforms the iconic headless Greek goddess into a vibrant, winged silhouette of blue crystal, while La Terre Bleue presents the Earth as a smooth, celestial sphere. Released in strictly limited editions, these sculptures are considered haute couture of the crystal world, bridging the gap between classical antiquity and modern spiritual abstraction.
