“As a witness of my society, I have always been deeply involved in the cycle of production, consumption, and destruction.”
Arman (1928–2005) was a key figure of Nouveau Réalisme, the movement founded in 1960 as France’s response to the rise of Pop Art across Europe and the United States. After beginning his career as a lyrical abstract painter, he quickly shifted toward a sculptural practice rooted in the readymade and everyday objects.
His most iconic series: Accumulations, Colères (Rages), and Poubelles (Trash Bins), confront the consequences of industrial production and consumer culture. Through assembling, breaking, or encasing mass-produced objects, Arman exposed their banality, excess, and disposability.
His work develops a unique visual language based on repetition and fragmentation, questioning our material environment and reflecting the contradictions of modern life.
Watch a film dedicated to Arman and Éliane Radigue.
