Biography

Martial Raysse is a prominent French Nouveau Realist artist. Working with found-object assemblages, advertising imagery, and the elevation of kitsch to fine art, Raysse is often viewed as a predecessor of the Pop Art movement. His later works consisted of elaborate paintings fit with working neon lights, often featuring bright colors and Arcadian settings akin to the work of Nicholas Poussin. Born on February 12, 1936 in Golfe-Juan, France to a family of ceramicists, he started writing poetry and painting at an early age. By 1960, Raysse was a founding member of the Nouveau Realism movement, alongside artists such as Yves Klein and Jean Tinguely.