There is one fantastic thing to see in Gelsenkirchen: the inside of the music theatre, painted by the French artist Yves Klein in the late 1950s. His "monochromes bleus" cover the walls, intense blue plaster and sponge reliefs. It was an amazing coup for Gelsenkirchen, and a brave one at that. Coincidentally, the local club Schalke 04, who play in "koenigsblau" blue last won the league around the time that Klein was at work in Gelsenkirchen.

In the post-war years, such quantities of paint were hard to come by and much material was "lifted" from building sites in the area. The builders told Klein he should drink milk to avoid poisoning himself with paint fumes but he would always say, "I am a Frenchman, I only drink red wine", which undoubtedly contributed to his deteriorating health. Possibly anticipating Warhol's sense of art and commerce, he actually patented the blue colour he used, IKB - International Klein Blue.

Kennedyplatz, Gelsenkirchen;
tel: 209 4097 243;
www.musiktheater-im-revier.de

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