In 1968, the French-American artist Arman described the breadth of his practice to an interviewer by stating, “I specialize very much in… everything,” while firmly rejecting the label of dilettante. Celebrated as a remarkably imaginative and industrious figure of the late 20th century, his eclectic body of work encompasses everything from prints and sketches to large-scale public monuments and his signature “accumulations”—assemblages of discarded everyday items. His creative legacy, which draws heavily from the Dadaist movement and serves as a vital precursor to Pop Art, is housed in prestigious collections worldwide, including the Centre Pompidou, the Tate, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Born Armand Pierre Fernandez in 1928 in Nice, he displayed an early mastery of fine arts. His professional moniker originated from a 1958 printing error which he chose to adopt permanently, having previously signed works with only his first name in an homage to Van Gogh. Raised in a household steeped in music—thanks to his father, an amateur cellist and antiques merchant—Arman developed a keen eye for curation and a refined aesthetic sensibility during his youth. Following his foundational education at the Ecole Nationale des Arts Décoratifs, he relocated to Paris to pursue art history at the Ecole du Louvre. His initial creative phase was defined by abstract canvases influenced by Nicolas de Staël. A dedicated intellectual, Arman fueled his creative development through literature and critical theory, as well as by traveling across Europe alongside his fellow artists and companions, Claude Pascale and Yves Klein.
www.ftn-books.com has a nice selection of Arman titles available.
