Yves Klein's Blue Venus series, particularly known for its iconic Venus Blue (Bleue) sculpture, represents a significant chapter in the artist's exploration of color and form. Created in 1962, this series features Klein's celebrated International Klein Blue (IKB) applied to a plaster cast of the Venus de Milo, a revered symbol of classical beauty. By enveloping the sculpture in IKB, Klein not only redefines the concept of monochrome in three-dimensional form but also bridges historical reverence with contemporary sensibility, giving the classical masterpiece a commercial allure that prefigures the advent of Pop art (Art Please).
The Blue Venus sculptures, including variations such as the Venus of Alexandria, employ dry blue pigment in synthetic resin on plaster, with dimensions reported around 70 cm for certain pieces. These works form part of a limited edition, underscoring Klein's intent to merge the tactile essence of sculpture with the immersive depth of his signature blue (Yves Klein).
Each piece in the series, marked by its unique edition number, carries the profound intensity of IKB, a color Klein famously concocted with the aid of a Parisian color merchant and chemists. This hue, far from replicating the natural blues of the sea or sky, emanates from what Klein described as the "most intense core of fire," a testament to his visionary approach to color as both a physical and metaphysical medium (Nassau Museum of Art).
The Blue Venus series, therefore, stands as a testament to Yves Klein's avant-garde methodologies and his philosophical inquiry into the immateriality and boundlessness of space. Through this series, Klein not only recontextualizes a classical icon but also further solidifies his legacy within the narrative of modern art, illustrating his ongoing dialogue with the void and the infinite through the medium of color (The Metropolitan Museum of Art) (Phillips).