Zone de Sensibilité Picturale Immatérielle  

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Zone de Sensibilité Picturale Immatérielle (1959, Zone of immaterial pictorial sensibility) is an artist's book and performance by the French artist Yves Klein. The work involved the sale of documentation of ownership of empty space (the Immaterial Zone), taking the form of a cheque, in exchange for gold; if the buyer wished, the piece could then be completed in an elaborate ritual in which the buyer would burn the cheque, and Klein would throw half of the gold into the Seine. The ritual would be performed in the presence of an art critic or distinguished dealer, an art museum director and at least two witnesses.

Between the creation of the piece in 1959 and his death on June 6, 1962, eight Zones were sold, of which at least 3 involved the elaborate ritual.

The piece is often seen as an early example of conceptual art.

See also

• A cheque used to certify the purchase of a Zone de Sensibilité Picturale Immatérielle. This copy was bought by Jacques Kugel December 7, 1959 [1]
• Yves Klein and Dino Buzzati engaged in the ritual transfer of immateriality, January 26, 1962 [2]
• Immateriality