Arman and his accumulations, a new way of approaching sculpture

The city of Nice was the cradle of life for the young Armand Pierre Fernandez. Arrival In this world on November 17, 1928, this child of a second-hand dealer did not yet know that a destiny as a world-renowned artist awaited him.

The major influence of a second-hand dealer father

During his childhood, the man we later knew under the pseudonym Arman spent his free time with his father. The latter, a second-hand dealer by profession, communicated to him very early on his passion for objects of all kinds. Each one carries within it a story of its own, the signature of an artist, or quite simply the stigmata of a historical era. This father also proved to be passionate about through music and a great lover of art. Small When he was little, young Arman filled his soul with all these enriching experiences. From collecting antique objects to the largest art exhibitions, he is slowly, but surely, building a solid base of knowledge in each of these areas. From the age of 10, thanks to painting, Arman begins to express oneself and return all the emotions collected during his first years of life.

An artist's journey and nothing else!

His education takes place serenely. Arman studies well and devotes all the rest of his time to his studies. paint and help his father. Loving what you do, without reservation, that’s it! perhaps the simple secret of his art. We never progress as much as when passion guides us. Quite naturally, Arman envisions his future in the world of art. The young man he was becoming could not accept another destiny. In 1946, he therefore chose to join the School of Decorative Arts, located in Paris. in his hometown. Nice will forever be the cradle of his life, but also of his art. For three years, Arman strived to achieve his goals. progress. He seeks to raise your level and tackle multiple artistic disciplines. In 1949, his studies were further enriched. Arman walks through the doors of the Louvre School in Paris. Why this choice ? The young Arman had developed a passion for This period, for the philosophy and arts of the Far East.

Decisive meetings

During his studies at Nice, the young artist takes a liking to for other art enthusiasts, like him. Among his contacts of the time, we can cite Claude Pascal and Yves Klein. Curiously, it was within a simple judo school that they met. Whatever it was, the love of art that inspired them was limitless. They quickly decided to create a group. This association was named the "Triangle". All three meet regularly and devote themselves fully to their work. their favorite leisure activity : the peinture. Throughout their creations, they take the decision to draw inspiration from Vincent Van Gogh, a painter artist for whom they develop eternal admiration. From then on, each of their paintings is signed with their first name only. During this serene period, Arman met a musician, Eliane Radigue. Love then makes a sensational entrance onto the scene of the young artist's life. He married Éliane in 1953. This union saw the birth of the career of Armand Pierre Fernandez, but also three beautiful children, respectively named Françoise, Anne, Yves.

The birth of a multidisciplinary artist

From 1956, our young painter is thirsty for art. of art in the broad sense of the term. He seeks inspiration and is not appeased by it. only when he discovers a new discipline. Inspired Through the works of Pollock and Schwitters, Arman began practicing stamping. From this experience was born an exhibition "Cachets", in the capital. Initially, his creations all bore his real first name "Armand". Two years after this exhibition, an art catalog made an error and misspelled the name of this artist whose talent was beginning to emerge. reason in the world of art. Armand then becomes Arman. Amused, the artist appropriates this shell and continues to call himself that throughout the rest of his career. Then arrived 1959, a year marking a real turning point in his art. This is the beginning of what we will quickly call "its accumulations". The imprint of the father figure he cherishes so much resurfaces. Arman begins collections of objects, lost, broken, forgotten objects. This interest in these things lost and frozen in time will always grow. It will be the very essence of his art. sculpture becomes his activity. main.

Arman and his accumulations

In 1960, still in the company of Yves Klein, he formed the group of New Realists. Other artists will join the project, such as Martial Raysse or César. To promote his precious objects, the sculpteur relies on the use of plexiglass and polyester. One year is enough for him to launch a new exhibition, but this time, everything takes place far from Nice and Paris. The lucky winner for this project is none other than the city of New York. The United States becomes his new home. Despite his hectic lifestyle, he never misses an opportunity to return to the south of France, the only place in the world where he can fully recharge his batteries. The year 1962 marked an important turning point in his career. The contemporary sculptor develops his famous “Combustions” there.

A new union, a new beginning

The path of the artist was dotted with numerous large-scale projects. His personal life proved just as rich. In 1971, the artist sculptor married for the second time. His partner's name is Corice Canton. With her, he will become the father of two other children: Yasmine and Philippe. For many years, he never stopped recovering discarded objects and various scraps, with the avowed aim of reclaiming them. to reveal their poetry and their beauty. He describes himself as an "object showman". When he speaks of his sculptures, it is always in passionate and philosophical terms: "I affirm that the expression of detritus, of objects, possesses of its value in itself, directly, without the desire for an aesthetic arrangement obliterating them and making them similar to the colors of a palette; moreover, I introduce the meaning of the global gesture without remission or remorse. "

Retrospectives

Between 1998 and 2001, a large-scale retrospective toured the world. His works surprise and marvel France, Germany, Portugal, Brazil, Spain, Mexico and Israel. Looking through his creations, there is no doubt that music, discovered while he was still a child, had a strong impact on Arman. Musical instruments mainly and majestically populate the contemporary art sculptures of the artist. When he passed away in 2005, Arman could boast of having fully and unrestrainedly lived his passion for art and sculpture, every second of his life.