In 1958, artist Yves Klein opened an exhibition called “The Void.” In that exhibition, he placed a large cabinet in an otherwise empty room in a Paris art gallery. Thousands of people paid an admission charge to get a glimpse of nothing at all. That art show’s success prompted Klein to take the idea of invisible art a step forward. He gave collectors a chance to purchase a series of non-existent and entirely conceptual spaces. A handful of buyers took him up on the offer, paying cash money int exchange for only a receipt to prove ownership of an invisible work of art. Now, almost 60 years after the death of Yves Klein, one of those receipts is up for sale. Auction house Sotheby’s estimates it could bring up to 500,000 euro or about 551,000 US dollars.

A half a million bucks for nothing seems like a high price to pay. On the other hand, Sotheby’s said it will accept cryptocurrency payment for the item. That seems like a really solid investment: use a bit of imaginary money to purchase an invisible work of art.

I heard the story of the proposed resale of invisible art on CNN radio as I was driving home last night. Apparently it was a re-airing of a piece that had been previously broadcast, but it was news to me. I haven’t been keeping up on the market for invisible art. The story prompted me to do a quick Internet search to learn more about the market.

In May of 2021, 67-year-old artist Salvatore Garau sold an “immaterial sculpture.” It went for $15,000 euro, about $18,300 at an auction at the Italian art house Art-Rite. The invisible sculpture is made literally of nothing. The buyer went home with a certificate of authenticity and a set of instructions: the work, per Garau, must be exhibited in a private house in a roughly five-by-five-foot space free of obstruction.

You have to be pretty enthusiastic about conceptual art to want to pay that kind of money to purchase those kinds of art.

The record, as far as I know, for invisible artwork is the invisible painting that sold in 2020 at Sotheby’s. There was no canvas. There was no frame. There was nothing to be seen at all. “As you can see, it is abstract, expressionist, conceptual, and totally next level,” said the auctioneer. Actually, I’m suspicious of this last story. I think it might be a spoof of the art world.

When it comes to invisible artwork, I’m not an expert. I’m not even a fan. In fact the stories about invisible art bring to mind a quote that is sometimes associated with P.T. Barnum: “There’s a sucker born every minute.”

In light of the high prices of such conceptual pieces of art, I would like to offer a few other intangible and invisible things that those with money could purchase.

You can name the price for the invisible and intangible feeling of having helped someone with a gift to Church World Service. Every two seconds someone in the world is forced to leave their home and everything they know. The threat of persecution or disaster forces them into the only choice they can find in search of safety. The crisis in the Ukraine has once again reminded us of the plight of people forced from their homes. Ukrainians join over 70 million people worldwide in need of assistance. Unlike invisible and intangible artwork, a gift to Church World Service will give you a tax deduction.

You can invest in intangibles with a donation to your community library foundation. Public libraries are about more than collections of books. They offer essential public service to communities. Libraries are primary providers of access to the Internet for homeless persons, they provide information and research assistance to community governments. They are safe gathering places for people of all ages. Libraries are centers of community education and learning.

Here is an option for those interested in invisible and intangible rewards. You can help save a life. Suicide affects millions of persons every year. The immediate aftermath of a loved one’s suicide is a challenging, confusing and painful time. The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention provides support for survivors of suicide, but it does much more. It is a center for research and information about suicide and suicide prevention. Through its programs people at most risk for suicide are identified and provided with resources and support to continue to live meaningful lives.

You don’t have to purchase invisible artwork to support artists in your community. Check our your local arts guild or other organization that supports music and the arts in your community. Your donations to local art museums, galleries, symphonies, theatre groups and other arts organizations go a long way to support culture and community. Not all artwork belongs in private collections. You can give access to high quality artwork to those who cannot afford to pay auction house prices by supporting public art venues.

Donation receipts from churches and other houses of religion often have these words: “Other than intangible religious benefits, no goods or services were received in exchange for this donation.” A donation to your church helps build community, provide essential services such as funerals and weddings, and provides support in times of crisis and need. All of that plus a receipt that gives direct reference to intangible benefits. In my opinion it is far better than bidding on a receipt for an intangible sold a half century ago. We have been donating to churches for all of our adult lives and find it to be easy and satisfying. If you are short of cash, donations of time and talent are always appreciated.

If you have a strong urge to become the owner of intangible and invisible artwork, I guess you could pay attention to the latest offerings of the auction houses. However, if you want to fully appreciate the full power of the human imagination, there are a lot more options available to you.