Yves Klein was attracted to the dialectical aspect of fire, which symbolizes both good and evil, destruction and regeneration, life and death. “For me, fire is the future without forgetting the past. It is the memory of nature. It is sweetness, fire is both sweetness and torture. It is the hearth and the apocalypse. It brings pleasure to the child wisely sitting by the fireplace; yet, it punishes any disobedience when one dares to play too closely with its flames. It is comfort and reverence. It is a protective and terrible god, both good and evil.”
