Jesús Rafael Soto: Pénétrable BBL Jaune

Born in Ciudad Bolívar, Venezuela, Jesús Rafael Soto (1923–2005) was one of the pioneers of kinetic art, creating works that explore movement, space and tactility. About Over a career spanning more than seventy years, Soto worked across drawing, painting, sculpture and installation, developing immersive environments that invite visitors to experience art physically and visually. Presented in Kensington Gardens, Pénétrable BBL Jaune (1999; 2023 Edition) is part of Soto’s celebrated Pénétrable series. Measuring 10 metres long, the sculpture is made from 4,000 suspended yellow PVC tubes hanging from a steel framework. From a distance, the closely spaced strands seem to shimmer and shift due to a moiré effect. Visitors are invited to walk through the work, allowing their movement to activate and transform the space around them. Soto created his first Pénétrable in 1967 and went on to produce more than seventy versions in different sizes and colours. This work is based on the original Pénétrable BBL Jaune made in 1999 that was relaunched by the artist’s estate in 2023 to mark the centenary of Soto’s birth. For Soto, the viewer is always central to the artwork: the piece is completed through participation, movement and touch.