The artwork, titled “People begin to fly,” was created by Yves Klein in 1961. It is part of the Nouveau Réalisme art movement and falls within the figurative genre. This piece belongs to Klein’s “Anthropométries” series.
The artwork depicts a series of blue imprints against a white background, representing human forms in various dynamic positions that evoke the sensation of flight. Using a unique method, Klein employed models as living brushes, their bodies covered in his signature International Klein Blue (IKB) pigment and pressed against the canvas. The figures appear ethereal yet defined, hinting at motion and levitation, thus encapsulating the title succinctly. The abstracted yet recognizable human shapes create a sense of otherworldly dynamism, reflecting Klein’s exploration of presence, absence, and the ephemeral nature of form.
