Until January 4, 2026, the Grand Palais presents a unique retrospective dedicated to Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely, and Pontus Hultén. The exhibition brings together monumental sculptures, animated machines, archival documents, and films. Organized with the Centre Pompidou, this exhibition traces an artistic and human adventure. It is marked by love, freedom, and audacity. Visitors can book their entry directly on the official Grand Palais website.
A Childhood and a Vocation Marked by Rupture
Catherine Marie-Agnès Fal de Saint Phalle was born in 1930 in Neuilly-sur-Seine. She grew up between the United States and France, in a wealthy family. Behind the apparent carefreeness, a drama she kept secret for more than fifty years: at 11, she suffered paternal incest. This trauma became a driving force for rebellion and creation.
At 18, she married the poet Harry Mathews and became the mother of two children. At the same time, she began a modeling career, posing for Vogue, Elle, or Life. In 1953, a severe depression led her to a psychiatric hospital. There, she discovered painting, a tool for survival and liberation. Self-taught, she drew inspiration from art brut and outsider art to forge a personal language.
Entry into Nouveau Réalisme
In the 1960s, Niki de Saint Phalle joined the Nouveaux Réalistes movement, alongside Yves Klein, César, Arman, and Christo. She then invented her famous Tirs, performances where she shot a rifle at assemblages containing paint pockets. The impacts released colorful bursts and transformed the canvas into a scene of action. These gestures expressed a deep anger against society, male domination, and injustice.
The Decisive Encounter with Jean Tinguely
In 1960, she crossed paths with Jean Tinguely, a Swiss sculptor known for his playful and poetic machines. Their passionate and creative relationship lasted more than twenty years. Together, they created major works like the Stravinsky Fountain in Paris or Le Cyclop in Milly-la-Forêt. Their complicity went beyond the studio: they shared the same vision of accessible, joyful, and provocative art.
The Nanas, Icons of Freedom
In 1965, Niki imagined her first Nanas. These round, colorful, and dancing female sculptures quickly became her signature. They celebrate vitality, autonomy, and the diversity of bodies. The Nanas settled in museums, public squares, and even on building facades. However, the artist often reminded that they were only a step in her journey, not her sole artistic identity.
Monumental Dreams and Enchanted Gardens
The ambition of Niki de Saint Phalle went beyond isolated sculpture. In Tuscany, she designed the Tarot Garden, a vast architectural ensemble inspired by the major arcana. Begun in 1979, this place was completed nearly twenty years later. She lived and worked there, transforming each structure into an inhabited sculpture.
In California, she created the Queen Califia’s Magical Circle, and in Jerusalem, the Golem and the Noah’s Ark. These projects combined bright colors, monumental forms, and interactive spaces. They reflected her belief that art should be a place of play and encounter.
Commitments and Personal Struggles
A self-proclaimed feminist, Niki campaigned for women’s liberation and the fight against racism. In the 1990s, she actively engaged in AIDS prevention. In 1994, she made an educational film with her son to raise public awareness. Her works, often joyful, carried a political and humanistic message in the background.
The Last Years and Her Legacy
From the late 1970s, prolonged exposure to resins and polyester dust caused severe respiratory problems. In 1994, she moved to La Jolla, California, where she set up a studio adapted to her fragile health. She continued sculpting there until her death in 2002.
Today, the Grand Palais exhibition allows visitors to explore her entire trajectory, from her self-taught beginnings to her monumental achievements. This event pays tribute to an artist who transformed her wounds into powerful works. She remains, more than ever, a major figure in contemporary art.
