In 1961, Yves Klein spent an exhausting day creating fire paintings at the Gaz de France testing cen
In 1961, Yves Klein spent an exhausting day creating fire paintings at the Gaz de France testing centre at Plaine-Saint-Denis using an industrial blow torch weighing 40 kgs, following basic instructions on how to control the several metre long flame and control the power of the heat emitted therefrom. The canvas was Swedish cardboard with strong combustion resistence. Each piece of work involved several intense minutes, when a few extra seconds more would have reduced it to ashes, despite the fireman by his side constantly cooling the piece down with jets of water as Klein focused his whole attention, presence and commitment to what he was doing, his body bowed in devotion to his art.By switching from the devouring flames to the licking flame of his crematorial brush Yves Klein brings life to the wet surface that becomes golden, brown and black, creackling and streaking in the process. Golden mandorles (geometric forms the shape of almonds) appeared, drips and projections seemingly seized by the fire in their flow, blossoms in the inferno are frozen and burning nebulae are petrified as dark splinters turning a shiny blond yellow colour. This day was experienced as an initiation rite by all participants. He would die of a heart attack in June 1962.Read more http://www.diptyqueparis-memento.com/…/the-inferno-of…/ -- source link