An Educated Collector is Our Best Client
In business for nearly two decades, we are a well established, popular contemporary art boutique specializing in expertly chosen, blue chip prints, multiples, uniques, books, ephemera and merchandise at different price points, with a focus on the secondary market. Please click on the "Contact Us" button at the bottom of this page for questions about any work, pricing and/or to arrange to visit our showroom/gallery - located in between Manhattan's Flatiron and Chelsea Flower Districts.
Yves Klein
Yves Klein at Dwan Gallery, 1961
Extremely rare Offset lithograph poster designed by artist
17 1/2 × 11 1/4 inches
This is the original lithographic poster invitation from the historic exhibition:
Yves Klein le Monochrome
Dwan Gallery - Los Angeles, Los Angeles, United States
29 May 1961 - 24 June 1961
The historic importance of this 1961 Yves Klein exhibition cannot be overstated. First of all, the exhibition was held in the artist's lifetime, and was designed by Yves Klein himself and printed under his direction while he was in the United States. As a lifetime edition, it is a true collectors item - setting aside this was such an important exhibition. This work features his signature color IKB - known the world over as International Klein Blue. But even more poignant, this exhibition was held one year before Klein would die of a sudden heart attack in 1962. "Yves Le Monochrome", held at the Dwan Gallery in Los Angeles, followed an exhibition of Yves Klein's paintings at the Castelli Gallery in New York City, where, famously, not one single painting sold.
In 2016, the National Gallery of Art held a monumental exhibition celebrating the life and career of Virginia Dwan, curated by art historian James Meyer. The exhibition was accompanied by a lavish 410 page illustrated hardback monograph. Attached is a photograph of the page (p. 325) and cover of the book featuring this Yves Le Monochrome poster and describing the exhibition at Dwan.
The exhibition and accompanying publicity repeatedly refers to the 1961 Yves Klein exhibition as a "landmark show". See, for example, this article about the show by Blake Gopnik, who also profiled Dwan for the New York Times, dubbing her a "Jet Age Medici", a reference to her status as a wealthy heiress and European-style patron of arts, even though she was from Minnesota, and not Florence - because she was more focused on promoting art than making money.
The present offset lithograph is a true collector's item. It is a must-have for any serious collector, dealer, scholar or institution involved with Yves Klein's art and career.
Very good vintage condition; original natural folds as issued. (this was an invitation). A bright impression.
