Violon fendu

This sculpture, titled “Split Violin,” is representative of the practice of cutting and reassembling that Arman developed beginning in the 1960s. Here, the artist takes a violin—the quintessential symbol of Western classical music—cuts it up, and reassembles it in a fragmented manner. This fragmentation, both violent and poetic, explores the notion of destruction as a creative act.The violin, displayed vertically on a pedestal, becomes a hybrid sculptural form, in which the object loses its original function to become a pure volume, a silent totem. The polished brass finish (or sometimes gilded bronze, depending on the edition) accentuates its precious and timeless appearance.With this work, Arman pays homage to music while challenging the fetishization of cultural objects. This act of deconstruction is part of a Neo-Dadaist movement, an heir to Duchamp’s ready-made.