Niki de   Saint Phalle

Born in Paris in 1930, Niki de Saint Phalle was a French sculptor, writer, stage designer and film maker. A self-taught artist, on her return to Europe after 20 years in New York, she began to work in a style similar to art brut. She first came to public attention through the Shots series, ironic parodies of Art informel painting, comprising plaster reliefs incorporating pockets of paint, which burst when fired at by visitors to the exhibition, thus staining the surface. She produced reliefs and sculptures made of objets trouves and plastic toys; these were always playful and imaginary. Monsers and other fantastic creatures were also among her favourite themes, while other assemblages were in the form of iconoclastic altars.
Niki de Saint Phalle dies in May 2002 in San Diego, CA.

Photo: ©Erling Mandelmann