Nouveau réalisme (
new realism) refers to an artistic movement founded in 1960 by the art critic
Pierre Restany and the painter
Yves Klein during the first collective exposition in the
Apollinaire gallery in
Milan. Pierre Restany wrote the original manifesto for the group, titled the "Constitutive Declaration of New Realism," in April 1960, proclaiming, "Nouveau Réalisme—new ways of perceiving the real." This joint declaration was signed on 27 October 1960, in Yves Klein's workshop, by nine people:
Yves Klein,
Arman,
Martial Raysse,
Pierre Restany,
Daniel Spoerri,
Jean Tinguely and the
Ultra-Lettrists,
Francois Dufrêne,
Raymond Hains,
Jacques de la Villeglé; in 1961 these were joined by
César,
Mimmo Rotella, then
Niki de Saint Phalle and
Gérard Deschamps. The artist
Christo showed with the group. It was dissolved in 1970.