Hope for Peace 1995

Arman made this "Hope for Peace" sculpture. It's constructed using layers of concrete and embedded tanks, with gun barrels sticking out like quills. The colour palette is stark, limited to the grey of the concrete, and the darker metal of the tanks. Looking at the sculpture, I’m drawn to how the rough texture of the concrete contrasts with the smooth, metallic surfaces of the vehicles. The tanks are arranged in a chaotic, almost violent manner, as if crushed and compressed into the very structure of the sculpture. The cannon barrels sticking out add a sense of aggression and tension. I notice the gaps between the layers; they create shadows and reveal glimpses of the tanks within, lending the sculpture a feeling of depth and complexity, like a ruin. You could see this piece relating to the work of artists like César Baldaccini, who also worked with compressed and crushed materials. What I like is that Arman pushes us to consider how the act of accumulation can also be a form of commentary, questioning the possibility of hope amid destruction.