Yves Klein's legacy extends far beyond the invention of International Klein Blue; his influence resonated across minimalism, conceptualism, and performance art, radicalising traditional painting beyond the frame.
In New York, Lévy Gorvy Dayan devote a survey show to the late French artist, featuring paintings from his iconic 'Anthropométries' (1958–1960) and 'Peintures de feu' (1961) series, along with two live performances and rare archival materials.
Klein (1928–1962) documented sensuality and physicality through his experimental approach to figuration and abstraction. His 'Anthropométries' paintings, made by nude women smeared in paint pressing their bodies against the canvas, radiate energy. They capture the beauty of bodies in motion, leaving viewers spellbound by Klein's translation of his models' physical form and flow.
Along with rooms dedicated to Klein's paintings, the exhibition will host bi-weekly performances of Sculpture Tactile (1957), which features a nude model inside a box with holes that extend viewers the opportunity to physically engage with them.
Titled Yves Klein And The Tangible World (11 April–25 May 2024), the exhibition is on view at the gallery's 19 East 64th Street location.
An offsite, one-night-only performance of Klein's symphonie 'Monotone-Silence' (1947–1961) is set for 1 May at St. James' Church. The original work was performed only once in Klein's lifetime in 1960 in Paris, and showcased three nude models, smothered in International Klein Blue body paint, imprinting their forms onto canvas.
The 1 May performance boasts a 60-person orchestra and choir producing a single note for 20 minutes. Previously recreated only once in New York, this iteration will be the most ambitious yet.
