GULLY PRESENT KLEIN 17 is an original work by French artist Gully, created in 2019 using mixed media on paper mounted on canvas. Measuring 100 × 97 cm, this unique piece immerses the viewer in the artist’s characteristic narrative universe, where architecture, urban culture and major references from art history come together within a single composition.
With GULLY PRESENT KLEIN 17, Gully constructs a spectacular interior space organised around a monumental staircase. The eye moves through the different levels of the composition, while a figure positioned at the centre of the staircase appears to discover the artworks surrounding him. The scene therefore takes the form of an imaginary exhibition, in which the viewer in turn becomes a visitor, gradually exploring the many references scattered throughout the setting.
The colour blue plays an essential role in the work and immediately establishes a dialogue with the universe of Yves Klein. Monochromes, silhouettes and sculptural elements punctuate the space with intense shades of blue, contrasting with the pink-toned walls, the wooden floor and the dark structure of the staircase. This confrontation between classical architecture and radical colour creates a particularly dynamic composition, in which Gully freely reinterprets the codes of art history through his own pictorial language.
The precision of the setting is also one of the work’s greatest strengths. The spiral staircase, frames, furniture and architectural details create an almost theatrical environment, while the artistic references are seamlessly integrated into the scene. True to his practice, Gully transforms the exhibition space into a genuine narrative territory: the artworks are no longer simply displayed, but become protagonists in a story that the viewer is invited to reconstruct. This dialogue between graffiti, painting and art history lies at the heart of his work.
Through its visual richness, striking use of colour and precision of composition, GULLY PRESENT KLEIN 17 is a particularly representative work within Gully’s universe. The piece combines a tribute to art history, contemporary storytelling and urban culture in a scene that is playful, sophisticated and immediately recognisable.
GULLY PRESENT KLEIN 17 is a distinctive work by Gully: immersive, narrative and deeply shaped by the dialogue between contemporary art and art history.
Available at Galerie De Medicis, Paris.
