Curator and exhibition management: Andreas Hoffer and Anna Szöke

With the exhibition >NIKI DE SAINT PHALLE – In the Garden of Imagination<, the Essl Museum offers a retrospective look at the work of the artist who died in 2002. Early assemblages, Tirs (Shooting Paintings), objects and sculptures from the famous Tarot Garden in Tuscany, work created together with Jean Tinguely, as well as the famous Nanas will be on show.

The exhibition starts with creative work with a feminist twist, the spectacular Shooting Paintings. These usually consisted of canvases portraying male or monstrous creatures which the artist shot at with real fire arms in the presence of a live audience.

“I was ready to kill. As victims I chose my own paintings”, the artist once commented on her Shooting Pictures, and she went on to say: “The paintings were shedding blood. The white surface was covered with splashes of colour. The paintings came alive.”

Niki de Saint Phalle Foto: Michael Herling/Aline Gwose © N.C.A.F. – Donation Niki de SAINT PHALLE Sprengel Museum Hannover / VBK, Wien, 2010	La marieé à cheval, 1963-97 Gips, Farbe und Objekte auf Maschendraht 235 x 300 x 120 cm Foto: Michael Herling/Aline Gwose © N.C.A.F. – Donation Niki de SAINT PHALLE Sprengel Museum Hannover / VBK, Wien, 2010

With its fantastic range of shapes and colours, Niki des Saint Phalle’s work evolved into a unique universe of humour and sensuality. In her later years, the artist also became enthralled with garden design.

The idea of showing her work at the Essl Museum germinated after an encounter between the art collectors and the artist in California in 2001. “We experienced Niki de Saint Phalle as a bubbly, exuberant artist with sparkling eyes and a keen intellect. Her warm welcome quickly created a trusting and friendly atmosphere which made it possible for us to form a very personal and profound impression of her art and her working methods.” recalls Prof. Karlheinz Essl.

In the public at large, Niki de Saint Phalle is particularly well known for her colourful Nana figurines. Incontestably, no viewer will remain unaffected by the infectious cheerfulness and sensuality of her works. The current exhibition will provide a welcome opportunity to explore all creative phases in the work of this fascinating artist and to become even better acquainted with her comprehensive oeuvre.

The exhibition has been made possible by the excellent co-operation with the Sprengel Museum in Hannover, which has been entrusted with a large portion of the artist’s estate.

Saint Sebastien or Portrait of my Lover, 1961 Dartscheibe, Pfeile, Hemd du Krawatte, Farbe auf Holz 100 x 74 x 15 cm Foto: Michael Herling/Aline Gwose © N.C.A.F. – Donation Niki de SAINT PHALLE Sprengel Museum Hannover / VBK, Wien, 2010	La tempérance, 1985 Die Mäßigkeit Modell für >Jardin des tarots< Polyester bemalt 72 x 53 x 23 cm Foto: Michael Herling/Aline Gwose © N.C.A.F. – Donation Niki de SAINT PHALLE Sprengel Museum Hannover / VBK, Wien, 2010

Catalogue

An exhibition catalogue of approximately 80 pages will be published with a preface by Prof. Karlheinz Essl and texts by Andreas Hoffer and Maria Theresa Moritz.

Educational programme

The art education team offers guided tours and workshops during the exhibition, e.g. the guided tour >NIKI DE SAINT PHALLE< every Sunday at 1 p.m. Please access the current calendar of events at KUNSTVERMITTLUNG >>.

Free bus shuttle

Visitors can reach the Essl Museum conveniently by free bus shuttle from Vienna city centre, Albertinaplatz 2 (Tues – Sun, 10 a.m., 12 a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m. and return)

Press photos

Press photos are available upon request at the Press Office or via download from PRESS IMAGES >>

Press and Public Relations Office:

Erwin Uhrmann (head): +43 (0) 2243/370 50 60, uhrmann@essl.museum
Regina Holler-Strobl: +43 (0) 2243/370 50 62, holler-strobl@essl.museum