Jesús Rafael Soto - Penetrable BBL Bleu

Encompassing the entire exhibition space, Pénétrable BBL Bleu is an interactive work that invites and requires the observer to be involved – to walk through the work and be immersed in its kinetic and optical functions. Through his Pénétrable series, Soto effectively reminds us that space is never empty, and invites the visitor to experiment with the material in order to see the invisible.

Each Pénétrable was created as an immersive installation consisting of volumes suspended in space, made of hundreds of thin vertical rods that the visitor is called upon to traverse. Referred to by the artist himself as a “revelation of sensitive space” he would continue to create many versions, featuring various sensations, sometimes including sound. From one series to the next, the “impression” of movement, generated by repetitions of shapes and colours, gave way to genuine optical illusions that increased the vibratory and dynamic impact of the works: moving from optical art into kinetic art and ultimately transforming the relationship between art and audience.