During his brief yet prolific career, Yves Klein (1928–1962) took the European art scene by storm. He is regarded as a forerunner of such avant-garde movements as Minimalism and Performance and Conceptual Art. Klein was an innovator who combined painting, sculpture, performance, music, film, and theoretical concepts. The artist carved out new aesthetic and theoretical territory based on his examination of the philosophy of judo, Rosicrucian teachings, and philosophical and poetic investigations of space and science, accompanied by his quest to achieve immaterial spirituality through pure color and emptiness.This publication includes examples from all of his major series, such as the Anthropometries, the Fire Paintings, and the monochromes. Attention is also given to his lesser-known works, while sketches, photographs, letters, and writings provide insight into Klein’s artistic process and conceptual projects.Exhibition schedule: Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, DC, May 20–September 12, 2010 | Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, October 23, 2010–February 13, 2011