Niki De Saint Phalle
Niki de Saint Phalle is a French-American artist who was born in 1930 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, and grew up in New York. A self-taught artist, she lived and worked between France, Switzerland and the United States. She died in 2002 in La Jolla, California, USA.
Niki de Saint Phalle was part of the Nouveaux Réalistes group, which she joined in 1964 through her husband, artist Jean Tinguely. She first received worldwide attention for angry, violent assemblages, which she had shot using firearms. These evolved into Nanas, light-hearted, whimsical, colorful, large-scale sculptures of animals, monsters, and female figures, first made of wool, yarn, paper-maché and wire scaffoldings and later made of polyester. These voluptuous female figures served to represent the ideal archetype for women in modern society, and can be seen in cities and museums all over the world.
Saint Phalle's monumental works are exhibited at the Stravinsky Fountain, next to the Pompidou in Paris (1983), the Tarot Garden in Garavicchio, South of Tuscany (1998), the Grotto in the Royal Garden Herrenhausen of Hannover (2003), and Queen Califia's Magic Circle in California (2003). Her works are also held in the collections of the Courtauld Institute of Art in London, The Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, and the Musée d'Art Moderne d'Art Contemporain in Nice, among others.
SELECTED WORKS
Niki De Saint Phalle, Le Miroir, 1980
Polyester painted wood, mirrored glass
106 x 152 x 25,5 cm | 41.7 x 59.8 x 10 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, Je suis à l'envers, 1998
Acrylic on polyester resin
117 x 80 x 14 cm | 46.1 x 31.5 x 5.5 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, Fauteuil noir, 1980
Polyester paint
102 x 79 x 70 cm | 40.2 x 31.1 x 27.6 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, White Tree, 1972
Resin polyester joined on a wood panel
244,5 x 122 x 22 cm | 96.3 x 48 x 8.7 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, Ange vase, 1993
Painted polyester, iron base
99 x 57 x 32 cm | 39 x 22.4 x 12.6 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, L'oiseau amoureux, 1988
Watercolour, coloured chalk and acrylic on japan paper laid on silk
260 x 285 cm | 102.4 x 112.2 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, The Blue Falcon, 1980
Painted polyester, metal, light bulbs and electric systems
66 x 37 x 21 cm | 26 x 14.6 x 8.3 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, Untitled, 1979
Polyester resin and acrylic
17,8 x 30,5 cm | 7 x 12 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, Nana courant, 1966
Painted papier-mâché
71 x 72,5 x 39 cm | 28 x 28.5 x 15.4 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, Oiseau amoureux, 2000
Painted resin
60 x 48 x 23 cm | 23.6 x 18.9 x 9.1 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, Lady with Handbag, 2000
Painted resin
63 x 36 x 10 cm | 24.8 x 14.2 x 3.9 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, Do You Like My New Dress, Black (Remembering), 1997 - 2000
Fiberglass and painted polyester
99 x 55,8 x 10,1 cm | 39 x 22 x 4 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, Collaboration (Remembering), 1998
Fiberglass and painted polyester
84 x 74 x 13 cm | 33 x 29 x 5 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, Cat Vase, 1986
Polyester resin, painted and glazed terracotta
39 x 32 x 21,5 cm | 15.4 x 12.6 x 8.5 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, Head, 1967-1968
Acrylic on papier-mâché
76,5 x 55 x 63 cm | 30.1 x 21.7 x 24.8 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, L'Oiseau amoureux, 1990-1992
Painted polyester
155 x 150 x 60 cm | 61 x 59.1 x 23.6 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, Dragon, 1974-75
Painted polyester
65 x 50 x 23 cm | 25.6 x 19.7 x 9.1 in
Niki De Saint Phalle, I am Upside Down, Green (Remembering), 1997
Acrylic on polyester resin
117 x 80 x 14 cm | 46.1 x 31.5 x 5.5 in