Yves Klein

Yves Klein (1928–1962) was a French artist and a leading figure of Nouveau Réalisme, known for his intense blue monochromes, his theatrical performance works, and his Monotone Symphony — a single sustained note held for twenty minutes followed by twenty minutes of silence — which is a foundational work in sound art. Born in Nice, he was the son of painters Fred Klein and Marie Raymond, but his own work departed radically from their traditions.

Klein developed International Klein Blue (IKB), a highly saturated ultramarine pigment mixed with a synthetic resin that preserved its intensity in application.