Jean Arp

Jean Arp (1886-1966) was convinced that art and nature are inextricably linked. Arp deviated from the prevailing idea of imitating natural elements and instead aimed to create sculptures that seamlessly integrated with the natural world. As a result, Arp developed a unique visual vocabulary of budding, organic forms that fluidly moved between abstraction and representation, earning him recognition as "a one-man laboratory for the discovery of new forms".

Central to Arp's artistic practice was plaster, a versatile material that allowed him to translate his fluid and organic forms into a three-dimensional space. These plaster forms served as working models in his studio, where he innovatively worked with the material in a tactile, cyclical process of form exploration. Arp – or one of his assistants or the craftsmen he collaborated with – created at least two plasters of each form, so they could be dissected, reused, and integrated into new creations. As a result, Arp's studio took on the appearance of a "petrified, enchanted forest". 

Due to their natural affinity, Arp sometimes preferred to exhibit his sculptures outdoors. After their creation, the bronze sculptures were often left outside to weather and mature, allowing nature to leave its mark on them. In his studio in Meudon, the plaster forms were placed at the back of the studio space in the garden, while the bronze sculptures were exhibited in the garden itself, creating a seamless connection between indoors and outdoors, art and nature.