The artist denounces at the same time the materialistic dimension of our lives by accumulating and destroying objects, but also reminds us that after our death, these objects remain. Wouldn't Arman have created, in a way, the "Contemporary Vanities"?
The object, after having been used by the artist to paint, is little by little integrated into his canvases as matter. The objects, which were usually used as models for painting, find themselves directly integrated into Arman's works. This process creates confusion between reality (the object) and its representation (the canvas), since the two are amalgamated.
  Arman will gradually start accumulating objects for artistic purposes. Thus, in 1960, he organized the exhibition "le plein" in response to Yves Klein's exhibition "le vide". This exhibition consisted in the accumulation of garbage in order to transform the gallery into a giant dustbin.  
The artist also accumulates some waste in Plexiglas containers. In this way, he puts garbage in the window, as if the back of the set suddenly found itself under the spotlight. With a bit of imagination, these works could almost have an archaeological dimension and a historical role, so much so that these piles of garbage often reveal brand names and product labels, symbolizing an era and a period of History.
 

LOT n°97 Arman ARMAN (1928-2005) - Colère du temps- Inclusion - Elements de réveils dans du plâtre - Signature dans le plâtre, sur un des éléments de réveils, contresigné au dos et justifié EA - 35 x 35 x 9 cm _ Note… Fiche détaillée