César, compressed scrap, 1989
One of the leading new realists was the French artist César Baldaccini. Trained as a blacksmith and welder, he has already proven his talent with the assembly of finely elaborated metal sculptures since the beginning of his career. In 1960 the artist came into disrepute. His ‘Compressions’ caused a scandal within the art world: His scrap pressed into waste became art!
‘Mobylette Peugeot’, a controlled compression pressed into a new identity, proved the transience of a consumer good. Despite the fact that the production process was done with a press machine, César carefully supervised his creation in order to obtain a suitable result in colour, shape and depth. An old existence got a new reality and continues to live on.
– For more works by this artist, contact the gallery. –