This was Ugo Rondinone’s iconic Hell, Yes!

Ugo Rondinone - Hell, Yes!, 2001, neon, perspex, translucent film, aluminum, 734 x 284 x 15 cm, installation view, New Museum, New York
Ugo Rondinone – Hell, Yes!, 2001, neon, perspex, translucent film, aluminum, 734 x 284 x 15 cm, installation view, New Museum, New York, photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by dominiqueb

Hell, Yes

Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone is well-known for his drawings, installations and often colorful sculptures. Arguably, one of his most recognizable projects has to be Hell, Yes, 2001. Hell, Yes is a series of neon-lit sculptures full of rainbow hues and has appeared in different places. Ugo says that his creation celebrates love and life. It is also an affirmation of the endless possibilities that love and life offer.

Ugo Rondinone - Hell, Yes!, 2001, neon, perspex, translucent film, aluminum, 734 x 284 x 15 cm, installation view, New Museum, New York
Ugo Rondinone – Hell, Yes!, 2001, neon, perspex, translucent film, aluminum, 734 x 284 x 15 cm, installation view, New Museum, New York, photo: CC BY-NC 2.0 by Amaury Laporte

Installed at The New Museum

The massive artwork has been on display at New Museum since opening its doors to the public in 2007. That ended in 2010. It is not on display now, despite helping identify the New Museum of Contemporary Art.

Ugo Rondinone - Hell, Yes!, 2001, neon, perspex, translucent film, aluminum, 734 x 284 x 15 cm, installation view, New Museum, New York
Ugo Rondinone – Hell, Yes!, 2001, neon, perspex, translucent film, aluminum, 734 x 284 x 15 cm, installation view, New Museum, New York, photo: CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 by dominiqueb

A little about the artist

Rondinone specializes in mixed-media art. This form of visual art is special in many aspects. For starters, it relies on mixing more than one material or medium. The incorporation of more than two forms of art also adds to its overriding allure. Rondinone’s collection of astonishingly massive land-art sculptures spread his fame far beyond the art world.

Ugo Rondinone – Hell, Yes!, 2001, neon, perspex, translucent film, aluminum, 734 x 284 x 15 cm, installation view, New Museum, New York
Ugo Rondinone – Hell, Yes!, 2001, neon, perspex, translucent film, aluminum, 734 x 284 x 15 cm, installation view, New Museum, New York, photo: New Museum – Hell Yes Dark 1 (CC BY 2.0) by Amaury Laporte

Apart from Hell, Yes, Seven Magic Mountains is yet another masterpiece from this Swiss artist. He created that impressive sculpture in 2016-2018. The Nevada Museum of Art says that the artwork is visible all the way from Interstate 15.

The 56-year old Swiss began working as an artist in the 1990s. Since then, he has specialized in creating the kind of art that has distinct features. To identify his artworks, you only need to look no further than for the following attributes:

  • Bright colors
  • Coaxial rings of target-shapes
  • Huge rainbow signs

Ugo Rondinone - Hell, Yes!, 2001, neon, perspex, translucent film, aluminum, 734 x 284 x 15 cm, installation view, New Museum, New York
Ugo Rondinone – Hell, Yes!, 2001, neon, perspex, translucent film, aluminum, 734 x 284 x 15 cm, installation view, New Museum, New York, photo: CC BY-SA 2.0 by John K. Zacherle

Conclusion

Few artworks come with as much punch as the display of rainbow in Hell Yes. The pure creativity that Ugo applied in this piece testifies to his leading role.

Ugo Rondinone - Hell, Yes!, 2001, neon, perspex, translucent film, aluminum, 734 x 284 x 15 cm, installation view, New Museum, New York
Ugo Rondinone – Hell, Yes!, 2001, neon, perspex, translucent film, aluminum, 734 x 284 x 15 cm, installation view, New Museum, New York, photo: CC BY-NC 2.0 by Amaury Laporte

More by Ugo Rondinone

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