artist/ César

France

César Baldaccini, known simply as César (1921–1998), was a French sculptor and a leading figure of the Nouveau Réalisme movement. He gained fame for his iconic compressions (crushed cars and metal objects), expansions made of polyurethane foam, and human imprints, all of which challenged traditional sculpture. In 1975, he designed the trophy for the César Awards, France’s national film prize. Bold and provocative, César left a lasting mark on contemporary art with his raw, industrial, and poetic use of materials.