Starting in 1959, French artist Yves Klein sold empty space for gold. The customer would receive a cheque certifying the purchase of a Zone of Immaterial Pictorial Sensibility.
The cheque above was bought by Jacques Kugel December 7, 1959 [1].
It reads: “Reçu Vingt Grammes d’Or Fin contre une Zone de Sensibilité Picturale Immatérielle”
In English: “Received Twenty Grams of Gold Leaf against a Zone of Immaterial Pictorial Sensibility.”
The current price of 20 grams of gold is $835.59.
If the buyer wished, the purchase could be completed in an elaborate ritual in which the buyer would burn the cheque, and Yves Klein would throw half of the gold into the Seine.
In this photo[2], we can see how Yves Klein (with Dino Buzzati to the right as witness) is engaged in the ritual transfer of immateriality on January 26, 1962.
I am reminded of selling air, dissipation, excess, Georges Bataille’s general economy, sumptuary law, conspicuous consumption, the destruction of money and K Foundation Burn a Million Quid.
<3 Yves
![[1]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ImmaterielZoneKlein.jpg){kind=link}
![[2]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:ZoneImmaterielKlein2.jpg){kind=link}