César

Going by his first name only, César Baldaccini (born 1921 in Marseille to Italian parents) has long been associated with Nouveau Réalisme, France's version of Pop Art. A French cultural hero, he's somewhat underknown in America—mainly because his use of crushed car parts in some of his sculptures has been considered too much like the work of John Chamberlain. In fact, there are clear differences between the two, even with regard to this shared material. In any case, César employs many other different approaches in his work; unlike Chamberlain, who is essentially a colorist, César is focused on the broader issue of technology's relationship to art and culture. This survey covers all aspects of his work, spanning the 1950s to the 1990s.