Niki de Saint phalle

Niki de Saint Phalle was a French artist best known for her sculptural female figures known as Nanas; colorful, patterned, and crafted in a variety of shapes and sizes, these women embody de Saint Phalle’s feminist spirit. Niki de Saint Phalle created exuberant works intended to transform environments, individuals, and society. The first New York museum exhibition of the work of this visionary feminist and activist artist will feature over 100 works that highlight Saint Phalle’s interdisciplinary approach and engagement with pressing social and political issues.She was part of the Nouveau Réalisme movement. Born Catherine Marie-Agnès Fal de Saint Phalle on October 29, 1930 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, the self-taught artist first began making work as a form of therapy. Early in her career, de Saint Phalle became inspired by the architecture of Antoni Gaudi while on vacation in Spain, and planned to make a piece on par with his famed public park design, Parc Güell. A painter, sculptor, and designer on a grand scale, de Saint Phalle died May 21, 2002 in La Jolla, CA at the age of 71.