Blue Darkroom

Homage to Yves Klein

Yves Klein: conquistador du vide (Thomas McEvilly), first black-belt 4th Dan Kodokan judoka in Europe, Tintin connoisseur, Rosicrucian, composer, painter, pyromaniac, sculptor, Nouveau Réaliste pur sang, women's stamper, creator of several Zones de Sensibilité Pictural Immatérielle in Haus Lange, the Mies van der Rohe-designed house in Krefeld, among others, patent holder of IKW, International Klein White; IKG, International Klein Gold; IKN, International Klein Néant; IKP, International Klein Pink; and finally IKI, International Klein Immatériel, et un superbon camarade (Jean Tinguely).

As a tribute, we made a white-painted room in the NAI, in which a very small but terribly bright light was on. The light was alternately on for two minutes and off for two minutes. When the light was off, the walls, floor and ceiling glowed blue. Depth could no longer be estimated, shadows remained visible as an afterimage, the transition between floor, wall and ceiling became diffuse.

Client: NAi, Saskia van Stein & Aaron Betsky
Location: NAi Rotterdam
Jasper de Haan architects
Year: 2006
With support from the Netherlands Foundation for Visual Arts, Design and Architecture

See also:
- NAi NEST
- a daily dose of architecture
- dexigner
- Yves Klein archives