Arman

Arman was born in Nice, France, but later became a naturalized American citizen before his death in 2005. During his life, he was known for collecting objects and his ever-famous tantrums. Arman was a part of the new realistic artist group, which was primarily founded by the artist Cesar.

Initially, Arman studied at Ecole des Arts décoratifs in Nice where he met Yves Klein, before going to the Ecole du Louvre. Arman was interested in the status of the object and the relationship that modern societies have with it, between sacralization and consumption. In 1959, he started his famous "accumulations" of objects that he melted in plexiglass, following a logic of quantity that erased their singularity. While the accumulations convey an image of profusion, they also emphasize the perishable nature of products in a society of abundance.

His first exhibition took place in New York in 1961, where he now lives, although he returns regularly to Europe to participate in exhibitions. In 1962, he began his "Combustions". Thus, the destruction takes a prominent place in his works, as well as the accumulation. 

Arman was curious about the nature of an object compared to their link with modern societies, between sacralization and consumption. He "collected" objects according to quantitative logic which doesn't make them unique anymore, an image of profusion, underlining the fact that these items can be expired in the world where people are prone to consumption. Though, destruction is present in his sculptures but under the form of anger and combustion. The artist created imposing works, seen throughout hundreds of public areas the cities around the globe.