“Blue has no dimension; it exists beyond dimension, whereas other colors do […]. All colors evoke concrete associations […] whereas blue brings to mind, at most, the sea and the sky—the most abstract elements of tangible, visible nature. […]” says the artist.
Who is Yves Klein?
Yves Klein (1928–1962) was a self-taught French painter who left his mark on the history of modern art, particularly for his striking deep-blue monochrome paintings known as “ultramarine.” He painted 194 blue monochromes throughout his brief artistic career (he died at the age of 34 from a heart attack). He made this blue pigment his primary medium, considering this color to be the most abstract of all.
The recipe for Klein blue
So what is the recipe for this magic potion? The painter teamed up with a certain Édouard Adam, a Parisian merchant, and a chemist from Rhône-Poulenc—a chemical and pharmaceutical company. Together, they developed a fixing medium containing a synthetic resin called Rhodopas. As it dries, the resin shrinks, revealing the pure pigment. Thus, ultramarine blue was born.
In May 1960, Yves Klein filed the formula for his IKB—“International Klein Blue”—with the INPI (National Institute of Intellectual Property) under Soleau envelope number 6341. According to scientist Philip Ball, this was a way to “establish the authenticity of a creative idea” while protecting his commercial interests.
Today, his works are on display in the world’s leading museums.
See also
