Where can I see the “Nanas” sculptures by the woman artist Niki de Saint Phalle?
The Nanas sculptures by the woman artist Niki de Saint Phalle can be found in numerous countries around the world, from Hamburg in Germany to Gwacheon in South Korea.
Other “Nanas” are also exhibited in Erstein and Nice in France, in the artist’s Tarot Garden in Italy and in San Diego in the United States.
Inspired by the pregnancy of her friend, the actress Clarice Rivers, Niki de Saint Phalle created her first Nana sculpture in 1965. Entitled Gwendoline (Museum Tinguely, Basel), the work presented an archetypal female form. The artist gradually developed the theme, creating giant Nanas with round forms in dancing positions.
Niki de Saint Phalle published her first book for the first exhibition of her Nanas sculptures in September 1966 at the Galerie Iolas in Paris. In 1967, the woman artist created a monumental Nana work for the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, Sweden. Measuring 28 m long, 9 m wide and 6 m high, the reclining Nana was named Hon (“She” in Swedish). Viewers were invited to enter the space inside the sculpture through a doorway positioned between its legs. With its powerful symbolism, the piece attracted much attention. Niki de Saint Phalle first monumental work, the sculpture only strengthened the artist’s desire to create her own sculpture garden.
Please visit Niki de Saint Phalle’s dedicated page or the page on the Nanas sculptures to learn more about the artist’s different works and exhibitions.
