French sculptor Cesar Baldaccini, called Cesar, died after a lonbg illness on Sunday night December 6th 1998 in his Paris home. Cesar had become a star only in the 1960's after devoting many years to sculpture and living in poverty in Paris. Born in Marseilles, Southern France, to an Italian father and a French mother who was mad about art, Cesar left school at 14 and started his artistic career in his home town.
He then went to Paris but was unsuccessful for many years doing many odd jobs until he haunted scrap yards and started to produce metal sculptures and then car compressions transformed into works of art.
The small man with a long beard became the darling of Paris and was seen in most cocktail parties while his works became priceless.
Cesar had found that metal was more interesting as a medium than stone or plaster. Being penniless he discovered that he could find such medium for nothing in scrap yards. He then assembled and welded car or refrigerator components creating human figures and his first exhibition in 1954 was a success.
In 1958, he produced car compressions which caused some scandal during a 1960 exhibition but he liked to be considered as provocative.
From then on, he found many supporters in Paris, notably Viscountess of Noailles and art specialist Pontus Hulten but he also wanted to be regarded as a classical artist when he joined the group of New Realism.
He then created giant thumbs and involved himself in intensive researches regarding metal works, resin, paper and cardboard which he transformed into what he called "expansions".
Much influenced by Picasso, Cesar also produced monumental sculptures notably during the Venice Biennial exhibition with a 520 ton metalwork monument.
He became much popular after designing the French cinema award statuette which he wanted to call "Cesar" and not "Oscar". At the end of the 1980's, Cesar became more and more prolific working above all as a designer and directing a team which was producing works to which he was only adding his signature. After living during so many years in poverty, he somewhat became interested in earning more and more money and was less inclined to be as much creative as in the past.
After a kidney operation, he explained that he needed aides because he had lost his strength to move heavy pieces. Last year, he showed up with a 29-year-old female companion whom he said helped him to feel young.
Home
