César
Expansion au pot à lait, c.1989
White lacquered resin and chromed stainless steel
14.5 x 40cm
12997
Copyright The Artist
€ 7,000
César Baldaccini (1921–1998), known simply as César, was a French sculptor and a leading figure of the Nouveau Réalisme movement. His practice transformed industrial and everyday materials through processes of...
César Baldaccini (1921–1998), known simply as César, was a French sculptor and a leading figure of the Nouveau Réalisme movement. His practice transformed industrial and everyday materials through processes of compression, accumulation and expansion, challenging traditional ideas of sculpture through a direct engagement with matter. From the 1960s onward, he became particularly associated with polyurethane “Expansions,” in which liquid material was allowed to swell and harden into unpredictable forms, combining chance with a strong sense of physical presence.
Executed circa 1989, Expansion au pot à lait belongs to this mature body of work and translates César’s interest in expansion into a smaller, more controlled object. Combining white lacquered resin with chromed stainless steel, the work juxtaposes a fluid, swollen form with the familiar shape of a milk pot, creating a tension between domestic object and sculptural transformation. The piece reflects César’s continued interest in taking ordinary forms and pushing them beyond function, turning them into compact studies of volume, surface and material excess.
Executed circa 1989, Expansion au pot à lait belongs to this mature body of work and translates César’s interest in expansion into a smaller, more controlled object. Combining white lacquered resin with chromed stainless steel, the work juxtaposes a fluid, swollen form with the familiar shape of a milk pot, creating a tension between domestic object and sculptural transformation. The piece reflects César’s continued interest in taking ordinary forms and pushing them beyond function, turning them into compact studies of volume, surface and material excess.
