Celebrating Niki de Saint Phalle: Art That Dares to Speak, Shine, and Play
- Macy
- Jun 16
- 3 min read
"I wanted to create something explosive, something vibrant… something that would make people feel alive." —Niki de Saint Phalle
My First Encounter with Niki's Artworks
![a towering, multicolored mosaic sculpture of Miles Davis, Miles Davis 1999 [Toronto Sculpture] sculpture.dittwald.com](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/baf856_52585bfc3ad34a34a828488e0ed5b1fb~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_354,h_512,al_c,q_80,enc_avif,quality_auto/baf856_52585bfc3ad34a34a828488e0ed5b1fb~mv2.jpg)
In the summer of 2010, I traveled to Nice, France, and was immediately struck by something magical outside the iconic Hôtel Negresco: a towering, multicolored mosaic sculpture of Miles Davis, saxophone in hand, shimmering under the sun. The piece was bold, joyful, and full of movement—an unmistakable work by Niki de Saint Phalle. It was my first real-life encounter with her art. And it stayed with me.
From that moment, I became enamored with her world—one filled with vibrant Nanas, powerful symbolism, and sculptures that dared to take up space. Her expressive style, her fearless voice, and her ability to transform public space into something imaginative and alive has deeply influenced my own creative path.
This summer, I’m honored to pay tribute to Saint Phalle through my craft. Introducing: Serpent, an artisan soap inspired by her symbolic serpent motifs and love for vibrant colors.
🧼 A Soap Inspired by Art
Soap design inspired by Niki de Saint Phalle’s vibrant serpents, infused with grapefruit, sage, and ylang-ylang. Every swirl of color and curve of this soap reflects the exuberance of her sculptures. The fragrance—a bright fusion of grapefruit, grounding sage, and floral ylang-ylang—is designed to feel as expressive as her art.
Who Was Niki de Saint Phalle?
Niki de Saint Phalle (1930–2002) was a French-American artist whose work shattered expectations and redefined what sculpture and performance could be. A self-taught visionary, she tackled topics such as femininity, violence, mental health, and freedom.
Her most iconic works include:
🌀 Nanas – Joyful, brightly painted female figures celebrating empowerment and play.
🎯 Shooting Paintings – Performance pieces where she shot paint-filled bags to create explosive artworks.
🏰 The Tarot Garden – A sculpture park in Italy filled with giant mosaic figures inspired by Tarot symbols.
🕯️ HON – en katedral – A walk-in female form created in 1966 that flipped the idea of traditional sacred space.
💥 Her Legacy in Art and Society
More than an artist, Saint Phalle was a trailblazer. She dared to speak loudly through her work, merging beauty with protest, color with conviction. In doing so, she made the art world more inclusive, emotional, and free.
Her bold vision continues to inspire artists worldwide—including me.
🌟 Art Unleashed: Niki de Saint Phalle at MNBAQ
This summer, the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ) is unveiling a powerful new exhibition:
🗓️ June 12, 2025 – January 4, 2026
📍 Pavillon Pierre Lassonde, Quebec City
This immersive exhibition dives into two of the most prolific decades of Saint Phalle’s career. It showcases over 100 works, including monumental sculptures, vibrant paintings, and deeply personal pieces that explore feminism, social justice, mythology, and mental health.
What sets this exhibition apart is how it captures Niki’s fearless transformation of art into action—through public monuments, mystical figures, and multimedia storytelling. Visitors will encounter her iconic Nanas, her work on AIDS awareness, and selections from her Tarot Garden, all brimming with symbolic power.
This is more than an art show—it’s a celebration of creativity unbound, of a woman who used art as both weapon and balm.
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