Niki de Saint Phalle
France • 1930 - 2002
Presentation
Born in 1930 in the Parisian suburbs, Niki de Saint Phalle was a French-American artist, filmmaker, author and artist, known in particular for her work in painting and sculpture. Saint Phalle's plastic sculptures are globally recognized for their exaggerated features and vibrant use of color to address questions of gender, race, religious identity and social politics. Her most famous pieces include her iconic figure entitled “Nana," her depiction of the “Sun God" and “The Monster of Soisy."
Over the course of her career, the artist's work was featured in exhibitions worldwide, and her work continues to be included in collections today. Some of the most notable exhibitions of Saint Phalle's career include “Comparison: Peinture-Sculpture at the Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville" in Paris, “Les Nanas au Pouvoir" held at the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, and “From Niki Matthews to Niki de Saint Phalle" at The Sprengel Museum in Paris.
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Who is the artist?
An icon of female artists, Niki de Saint-Phalle marked the twentieth century with her work and personality. Catherine Marie-Agnes Fal de Saint Phalle, her real name, was born in 1930 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, and died 72 years later in 2002 on the coast of California.
It was during a dark period of her life that Niki de Saint-Phalle discovered painting. After a career as a model, she suffered from depression at the age of 22. Art therapy was highly beneficial for the young woman and allowed her to dispel her disease. It was not surprising then that the "future" artist found herself quickly involved with raw art, introduced by Jean Dubuffet and outsider art. Self-taught, Niki de Saint-Phalle started painting in 1952, making the first step in becoming an "all fields" artist.
Her sculptures, architectures, and performances multiplied. Niki displayed a wide spectrum of creativity and alternated mediums. Around her, many personalities helped her cultivate her daily appetite for art. She claimed to be part of the New Realism movement and was surrounded by artists such as Gérad Deschamps, Christo, Yves Klien, and Miro. Most of them became friends and it was there that she found her husband. Niki de Saint Phalle married painter and sculptor Jean Tinguely, with whom she will do "The Stravinsky Fountain" commissioned by the state.
Niki de Saint Phalle is particularly known for her shooting performances in the 60s which made her famous worldwide. As well as for her monumental sculptures which did not fail to attract attention even ten years later: "Golem" or "Monster Park" in West Jerusalem, and since the artist always wanted more, she worked in the creation of a sculpture park in Tuscany called "The Tarot Garden" inaugurated in 1998 and inspired by the Gaudi Park.
Niki was a completely feminine artist and a feminist as well, she did a collection of curved and colored small women, she called her girls. They were ambassadors of modern women, free from patriarchy, who took power by dancing and heckling. Niki de Saint Phalle approaches the female body from a feminist perspective that has a performance because it is the priority from the artist's point of view.
For Niki de Saint Phalle art is her way of expression, a way to externalize her joy and gladness.
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What are his 3 main works?
What is Niki de Saint Phalle’s artistic movement?
The artistic movements of the artists are: Performing Artists, Neo-Dada
When was Niki de Saint Phalle born?
The year of birth of the artist is: 1930