César

César (1921 - 1998) was a French sculptor emblematic of the Nouveau Réalisme movement. Trained at the Beaux-Arts in Marseille and Paris, he began by working with metal salvaged from building sites, creating his first sculptures in welded iron. In 1960, he joined the Nouveau Réalisme movement, marking a turning point in his career with the creation of his famous "Compressions", sculptures made by compressing carcasses and other metal objects. His work, which explores the transformation of industrial materials into art, quickly attracted international attention. César is also known for his "Expansions", works in polyurethane foam that expand and solidify into organic forms. He won several awards, including the Grand Prix National des Arts (1985), and was named Commandeur des Arts et des Lettres (1988). Exhibited in the world's greatest museums, César left an indelible mark on contemporary art, notably with the creation of the trophy for the César film awards ceremony in 1976, a symbol of his lasting influence. Since his death in 1998, his work has continued to be celebrated through numerous retrospectives, such as the one organized by the Centre Pompidou (Paris) in 2018.