In the world of art, Niki de Saint Phalle could perhaps be called as one of the most influential female artists of the 20th century. But influential as she was, her work never got the recognition they deserved beyond Europe. This would certainly change next year, as the Museum of Modern Art, New York, announced recently.
According to MoMA, the PSI will open next year with what can be perhaps called Saint Phalle’s first US survey. The survey will contain a 100 of her works, including drawings, sculptures, jewellery and prints. Scheduled to run between April 5 and September 7, the show seeks to exhibit some of the lesser-known works of the artist. A special focus would be paid on her works between 1970 and 2002 (the year of her death), along with much of the documentation related to her career as an artist. The curator of the survey, Ruba Katrib, said in an interview:
“She’s one of the most famous female artists of the 20th century, but she’s so misunderstood and, in some ways, under-recognized.”
Niki de Saint Phalle had a turbulent and adventurous life. She began in the 1950s as part of the new Nouveau Réalisme style growing in France. This went on well into the next decade, after which she turned towards sculpting. Her sculptures, variously described as garish and path-breaking, gave a new dimension to her popularity in Europe. One of her more popular works were collectively titled “Nanas” and praised for the bold depiction of the female form.
Saint Phalle was not just an artist, but a political commentary as well. Her works often dealt with social injustice and misunderstandings in society. In 1986 she illustrated for the book AIDS: You Can’t Catch It Holding Hands that dealt with the taboo surrounding the illness at that time. Her works continued to appear retrospectively across museums even after her death. The last major exhibition to display her works in 2014 at the Grand Palais in Paris.
