Pierre Restany

Pierre Restany (1930–2003) was a French art critic, theorist, and curator, best known as the founder of Nouveau Réalisme in 1960. He played a central role in the postwar Paris art scene, promoting a group of artists including Yves Klein, Arman, and Jean Tinguely.

Restany was an influential voice in shaping the critical discourse around contemporary art in France, writing extensively on new artistic practices and contributing to numerous exhibitions and publications. In 1960, he wrote a review of Joan Mitchell’s exhibition at Galerie Neufville in Paris, praising the “organic consistency and internal order” of her paintings.