Arman

ARMAN, Armand Pierre Fernández (Nice, 1928–New York, 2005).
“Winged Victory of Samothrace.”
Bronze with black patina, number 37/100.
Bocquel fd foundry mark.
Signed and dated.
Measurements: 25 cm (height).

In “Victory of Samothrace,” Arman takes one of the great icons of classical sculpture as his starting point, subjecting it to a process of formal transformation that is one of the hallmarks of his sculptural work. Far from faithfully reproducing the Hellenistic model, the artist fragments and multiplies its forms, creating a dynamic and organic composition in which the figure appears to simultaneously break down and rebuild itself. This technique, common in his work since the 1960s, reflects his interest in the accumulation, repetition, and appropriation of objects and images from material culture—fundamental principles of Nouveau Réalisme.

Arman was a Franco-American painter and sculptor, considered one of the leading representatives and co-founders of Nouveau Réalisme, a movement launched in 1960 alongside the critic Pierre Restany and artists such as Yves Klein, Jean Tinguely, César, and Martial Raysse. Trained at the École Nationale des Arts Décoratifs in Nice and the École du Louvre in Paris, he began his career as a painter before shifting his focus toward incorporating everyday objects as the central elements of his artworks. His body of work is characterized by the famous “Accumulations”—groups of identical objects clustered and assembled—as well as by series such as the “Poubelles,” Colères, and Combustions, in which he destroys, fragments, burns, or encapsulates everyday objects—especially musical instruments—to reflect on consumption, mass production, and the transformation of materials. Through these processes, Arman transformed everyday objects into sculptural and symbolic elements, establishing a dialogue between art and reality that anticipated many of the concerns of contemporary art. Beginning in the 1960s, he was highly active internationally, dividing his time between France and New York. His work is part of the collections of institutions such as the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the Tate, cementing his status as one of the key figures in European and international art of the second half of the 20th century.