Paintbrushes V 1991

Arman created Paintbrushes V by encasing used paintbrushes in clear resin. This action elevates the mundane to the realm of art. Arman was a French-American artist who was part of the Nouveau Réalisme movement of the 1960's. This movement questioned the role of art institutions and galleries. Like his contemporaries, Arman took inspiration from popular culture and consumer society. Paintbrushes V, created near the end of his career, is an accumulation. This was a signature form of art where he would accumulate everyday objects and display them en masse in resin or concrete. In this piece, the paintbrushes are a symbol of his artistic practice. They are colorful and upright, yet ultimately frozen, suggesting a critique of artistic creativity within market-driven constraints. To fully appreciate Arman’s work, research into the history of Nouveau Réalisme and the socio-political context of post-war consumer culture is invaluable. This helps us understand how artists like Arman challenged and redefined the boundaries of art itself.