Collection: Fernandez Arman

Fernandez Arman, known simply as Arman, was born in Nice in 1928 to an antiques dealer father and a mother of Spanish origin. After studying at the École des Arts Décoratifs in Nice and the École du Louvre in Paris, he began to develop an artistic language centered on the object as a form of expression. In the early 1950s, he began to approach gestural abstraction, but it was only in 1959, with the "Cachets" and "Allures d'objets" series, that Arman began to establish himself as a radical innovator.

In 1960, along with Yves Klein, Pierre Restany, and other artists, he signed the manifesto of Nouveau Réalisme, a movement that proposed a new awareness of reality and a critical approach to contemporary society. It was in this context that Arman developed his famous Accumulations, repetitive and layered compositions of identical objects (razors, watches, musical instruments, shoes), presented in transparent or resin-coated cases. The industrial object, stripped of its function, becomes a symbol of excess and desire.

At the same time, Arman introduced the concept of Colères and Coupes, works created by destroying or dissecting objects (violins, furniture, cars), highlighting the paradox between creation and destruction. This aesthetic of abundance and fragmentation is deeply rooted in the critique of consumerism, but also in an archaeological vision of material civilization.

In the 1960s, he moved permanently to New York, where he consolidated his international reputation. He participated in exhibitions at the world's most important museums, including MoMA, the Centre Pompidou, and the Tate Modern, and represented France at the Venice Biennale in 1968. His work evolved, incorporating new materials such as plastic, resin, and technological objects.

Arman has also created numerous monumental works for public spaces, including the sculpture "Long Term Parking" near Paris and installations in New York, Berlin, and Marseille. His extensive work also includes painting, screenprinting, and design.

He died in New York in 2005, leaving a decisive legacy on the contemporary art scene. His work continues to be studied, exhibited, and collected internationally.