Fernandez
Arman

Arman, born Armand Pierre Fernandez, became celebrated for his innovative and thought-provoking variety of Accumulations series, where he amassed identical objects to create visually striking compositions. He began these works in the early 1960s, transcending the traditional confines of painting and sculpture by presenting common items such as tools, musical instruments, and cutlery in large quantities. These accumulations questioned the role of objects in consumer society and the concept of artistic uniqueness, challenging viewers to see beauty and meaning in the mass-produced.

Arman was a founding member of the Nouveau Réalisme movement, which emerged in France during the early 1960s as a European counterpart to American Pop Art. Alongside artists like Yves Klein and Jean Tinguely, Arman signed the Nouveau Réalisme manifesto drafted by art critic Pierre Restany in 1960. The movement sought to bridge the gap between art and life, focusing on the appropriation and recontextualisation of everyday items to subvert their original functions and critique materialist culture.

Arman's work often involved the destruction and transformation of objects, a process he referred to as “Coupes” and “Colères” (Cuts and Rages). He would slice, burn, or smash items like violins, clocks, or even automobiles, then meticulously reassemble the fragments into new, unexpected forms. These acts of destruction were not merely violent but were carefully considered gestures that gave birth to new forms and meanings. By doing so, Arman dissected the ephemeral nature of material possessions, while simultaneously immortalising them as art.