In 1959, Klein witnessed Tinguely's "Meta-matic 17", which was a machine created by the artist to produce random drawings automatically.  He was interested in the machine both as a work of art and as a creator
of art.  Much to Klein's enjoyment, this was presented as a grand spectacle and event.  In addition to the theatrical qualities, the machine also emphasized movement, autonomous images without implicit or explicit meaning, and a removal from self-expression and the hand of the artist.  It can be argued that the machine also allowed others to collectively take part in the production of art.  For these reasons, [the production of art was stressed]stress was placed on the production of art, and it was produced overtly and publicly.  This event took art production out of the studio and into the public, presenting the entire event as an experience.

      Klein would soon find the next logical step in his art practice.  At this time, he was in the habit of hiring models to walk around his studio.  He enjoyed the aura they projected in his studio.  They were not hired to be painted, but to fill the studio with the creative influence such as the of influence that landscapes have on landscape painters  He was not interested in the body itself, he had a deeper interest in the body than its curves and form.  It was the combination of Tinguely's machine and the constant influence of the naked bodies that led him to his next artistic revelation that would become known as, Anthropometry.

    While it was Tinguely's machine that inspired Klein to consider and "explore speed- speed as vitality, not velocity"(Stich171), the nude models provided the brush he would use for this exploration and Judo teachings would provide a basis for understanding the concept of Anthropometry. The method for the anthropometric works was to cover a model in his Blue and have her spread the paint over the surface to be painted under Klein's strict direction.  The resulting print caused Klein to recall the imprint that a body makes after falling on a dojo
mat.  Klein drew several comparisons between the teachings of Judo and his anthropometric paintings.  They "manifest the conception inherent in judo that the body is a center of physical, sensorial, an spiritual energy, and that its power resides in the disciplined release of its energy to the outside" (Stich172).  Thus, Klein's directions given to the models provide the discipline required to release the internal energy of the models to the outside using paint as their medium.

     On June 5, 1958, Klein created his first body painting in the apartment of Robert Godet.  The reaction to this first painting was that of a sensual and sexual experience.  Klein felt that the artwork created by the woman writhing around naked in blue paint deserved more recognition than that of a simple sexual or sensual experience.  So, it was not until February of 1960 that Klein publicly presented another Anthropometry, only this time he ensured that the setting would elicit an artistic air.

    The Anthropometry performance created as a total experience.  It took on the theatrical flair that Klein demonstrated with the Void.  This was designed not as a simple exhibition of anthropometric works already completed, but as a performance intended to allow the audience the privilege of witnessing the creation of art works.  The performance was held at the Galerie Internationale d'Art Contemporain.  One hundred guests assembled to watch Yves Klein in action.  Klein also employed nine musicians to play the monotone symphony, which was essentially a one note piece of music played repeatedly with long breaks.   When the models took the stage, their were mixed reactions from the audience that was not sure what to expect; a reaction that Klein must have enjoyed.  Three nude models being smeared with paint to create art works created some scandal and controversy.

     Klein was attempting here to do what Tinguely succeeded in doing with his machine.  He was obsessed with the removal of the hand of the artist. This was evident in his monochromes and his use of rollers and sponges to apply paint to hide his mark.  By using the body of a model, Klein separated himself one step further from the paint.  He was to the models like Tinguely was to the machine.  Such a statement can also cause some controversy because it was not Klein who created the models, but for his purposes, he did select them and direct their movements much like an artist moves and directs a brush.  The paintings remain Klein originals because of his direction, the models represent nothing more than mere paintbrushes, objects of his control.  He does contradict himself however, by using his own body to create a painting.  In this, he had manifestly shown the mark of the artist, with the artist himself being the brush.

     With these paintings also emerged another of Klein's concepts: "art is health"(Stich175).  Here, he was commenting on the vitality of the body, not sexual vitality but as living flesh covering unintellectual involuntary organs.  He felt that the trunk of our body contained our real existence.  All of our vital organs exist in this space and this space maintains our healthy spirit.  So with this in mind, looking at the anthropometric works, we understand that Klein was attempting to illustrate the core of our existence.

    In addition to the blue body paintings, Klein experimented with other techniques and ideas.  Three of these, one using blood, one using a textured surface, and one using a giant crane like machine, were conceptualized but not totally realized.  The blood painting was created but then destroyed for its unsettling effect on Klein.  A fourth technique, Negative Imprinting, was used successfully.  These paintings employed the nude women in various poses, and involved spraying paint over them leaving the space where their body was untouched.  They seemed to illustrate the aura of the body.  These negative imprints made Klein interested in the concept of Cannibalism.  The extreme sexual gratification, orgasmic ecstasy, orgiasitic chaos, and violence that the
negative imprints left on the canvas represented cultural cannibalism to Klein.  His concern was our consuming of other cultures and our own culture in such a way that they are destroyed.

     The sexual aura that these paintings display is not easily ignored.  The focus is definitely on the female form.  In his 1960 performance, male models could have been used as well as female models.  Male models could have been hired to walk around his studio if their only purpose was not for looking at and studying, but rather for the aura they created.  Stich points out that the manner in which the paintings were created were highly voyeristically charged.  The model was naked to the audience, set up on a stage to watch while Klein, well dressed, called out orders.  The models were subservient to the orders of Klein.  Also, the portion of the body that was painted, which according to Klein contains the essence of our existence, also coincidentally contains the breasts and reproductive organs of the female, both highly fetishistic.  The thighs are displayed spread wide open, which can be read as a sexual gesture.  Therefore, to nod and accept these body paintings as merely spiritual and "resurrections from the body", can be fairly difficult to accomplish.  It becomes very easy
to doubt Klein's intentions and dismiss these paintings as exploiting the female form yet again.  I believe that if Klein truly intended to illustrate the spiritual side of the human body, he should have made more of an attempt to use androgynous looking forms.

     In order to truly understand the artistic emotions surrounding the creation of a body painting, to experience what Klein himself experienced, it is necessary to reproduce the act of the painting.  Though the piece I created was not before an audience of 100 people, I did not have any musicians available to play a monotone symphony for me, and I used one model instead of three, I feel that under the circumstances I recreated the same atmosphere that Klein would have worked in with his models.  I chose to do the Anthropomorphy for my own
interest in the human body and form.  I believe it is a site of great interest and am constantly amazed by its physical mechanics and also by mental mechanics.  The body painting appealed to me as a challenge.  Firstly, as a challenge to find a model willing to smear their body with paint for free, and secondly, to understand the human body as Klein saw it: a house for the core of our spiritual existence.  I hoped that through this experience I could reproduce these emotions. 
     For my first Anthropomorphy, I chose to mimic the February 1960 performance.  Since this was the event that marked the beginning of this body of works, I thought it would be a logical starting point for myself as well.  I fastened the paper to the wall like that of the backdrop at Klein's performance.  For this painting, I had my model spread paint on herself in order to be almost completely removed from the painting.  In the terms Klein used, it was almost as if the brush I was to be using was dipping itself in the paint.  It felt in many ways like I was almost
overly removed from the process up to this point.  Under my direction, I had her push her body up to the paper several times in varying positions.   The result was quite satisfactory.  The painting resembled a Klein anthropomorphy, however the painting lacked the entire experiece surrounding the original.  The performative aspect would have been interesting to experience.  There were times during the painting that I did indeed feel like a voyeur.  The control I had was limited to spoken directions that often times were misunderstood.  The most difficult factor to ignore was her state of nakedness as compared to myself being fully clothed.  There was a definite vulnerable feeling on the part of the model.

     The second body painting I created in collaboration with my model was in the style of Klein's "Great Blue Anthropomorphy".  For this piece, I tried to gain more control on the outcome by lightly sketching an outline on the paper, like Klein, for my model to follow.  I wanted her to move the paint with her body so that the surface would be much more abstract than the previous artwork.  During the process, I felt as though I had less control than the previous painting.  Also, the movements and gestures were more physical and sensually charged than
before.  The resulting painting however, proved more interesting and less erotic than the former.  The emotion created, though less erotic, was more violent.

     Upon completion of the two paintings, I feel I understand much ofwhat Klein was trying to do with his paintings.  The finished works do transcend time; they are nither present, nor past, nor future, but they mark an instant that can never be described or repeated.  It exists, as Klein demonstrated, outside of the phenomenology of time.  They exist now as a sign/signifier to a human form.  Now, the extent to which this sign can represent the essence of human existance must be left to imagination and faith in Klein's theories.  I have seen why this style of painting may have been regarded as scandalous, focusing on the naked female torso.  It was difficult to act impartially as artist and director and not at all as a voyeur.  Upon completion of these paintings, I have developed a deeper understanding of Klein's theories and rational behind the anthropometry painting with some faith and conceptualization.