MYTHILO Vol. 8 // YVES KLEIN // IKB 191

As courageous as some artists are, as courageous we may and must be as viewers. We are allowed to ask questions and sometimes make big eyes, wrinkle our noses or simply shrug our shoulders. Also at Art Basel.

Talking about Art is not an exclusive privilege of people with glasses of 500 grams or more. Neither a black in black outfit nor a jumpsuit in epilepsy causing color patterns are necessary for this. You can do it and so can I. We do it together. I'll start our little excursion into the art world with Yves Klein. First of all, no, you don't know this name from Marky Mark's underpants and although Klein has created with obsession something for the eternity, neither "Obsession" nor "Eternity" belong to his masterpieces.

When I'm feeling blue, one look at the monochrome Yves Klein surface is enough, because it radiates an incredible positivity, hope and infinite depth. (remember this sentence, so you will score in every gallery and art fair - worldwide)

There are really creative approaches in the scene: Milo Moiré's Pussy (meow) , Damien Hirst's animal bodies soaked in formaldehyde, Jeff Koon's balloon dogs, Dieter Roth's mold paintings, Banksy's cut-up painting.....What haven't colleagues come up with...?

And Yves? The good one has made it easy for himself.

Of course, jealous philistines could now claim that with monochrome color surfaces, the only difference between a painter and the artist is the income. First of all, hard no. Second, even if - what do they care? Let them mix their own color and let them try their luck. I'm sure there will never be an entry on Wikipedia about their boring and dull "Nobody Orange".

Klein probably thought: As a French artist, you have already lost in the art scene if you accept America as the land of unlimited possibilities. That's why he saw the earth as a planet of unlimited possibilities! (To all the nerd biographers out there: no he never said that but his art speaks to me. Touché!)

Klein and his monochrome color surfaces in ultramarine blue (or his highly personal and patented Yves international Klein blue / IKB 191) had a clear artistic attitude, but with his Image between genius and charlatan, he is dependent on well-meaning art critics for his work. For this reason, we pay him the respect deserved by an artist who fills museums, books and his bank accounts through monochrome color surfaces.

Yves I love your blue courage!