Author: markaf

Artist seem to have this urgent deep drive to explore and discover or even reinvent life as it happens. For that you want maximum freedom. Its a once in a life time chance to throw yourself all over the canvas. Yves Klein was like that. Literally.

After defining the ultimate color (Yves Klein Blue) Yves Klein set out to capture and overcome the limits of space and dimension all at once. He jumped out of the window using his body and self to paint the universe around him. In trying to free himself from the confinement of form he imagined himself going beyond his predecessor and enviously admired modernist, Malevitch.

The image representing the performance encapsulates a sinister bedazzlement. For what is left out is the role of the frame, the edges that signify ‘the observer’. In the end Yves gives us a still slice of life. A frozen shot. Easy for me to photoshop Malevich’s statement in it so it looks like Yves Klein is jumping to try to get higher then his predecessor… healthy artist competition. Close but no Houdini.

In reality gravity, the weakest force, quickly wan, and he fell and was caught by his accomplices. His drinking buddies and artist friends. Look at that picture – I like it so much better then the one above Yves published in the local newspaper the next day. Group trust. Concentration. Imagine the planning. The conversations. The execution of the performance. Such joy and drive at once. They were into it!

The observer is part of the universe. There are no real beginnings or ends. No frames. No moments in time. We make them to survive and live from moment to moment. We’re jumping the rope.

It seems if you are willing to let go. If you go at it alone. You can step into the blue.