Author Description

This book, produced in collaboration with the Yves Klein Archives, is the first of its kind to illustrate the relationship between Yves Klein, one of the most important artists of the postwar period, and the United States of America - a relationship of mutual fascination and influence. Photos, letters and notes, many of which are previously unpublished, bear witness to the ties that Yves Klein forged with the USA through his working life. Important figures of the American art scene (Leo Castelli, Robert Rauschenberg, Jasper Johns, Frank Stella, Marcel Duchamp) all play a part in the story - as does President Eisenhower! This exceptional album opens with an interview with Rotraut Klein-Moquay, who describes her trip to the USA with Yves Klein in 1961, and is followed by the artist's reflections on his own work. A further perspective is provided by the American art critic Robert Pincus-Witten, who worked for the New York art dealer Leo Castelli during this time. This book covers a fascinating period in the history of 20th century art and features several unabridged documents from the archives, including the Chelsea Hotel Manifesto.