The "Niki de Saint Phalle" exhibition, celebrating the 85th anniversary of the birth of Niki de Saint Phalle, a female artist whose work is receiving renewed attention ten years after her death, will be held at the National Art Center, Tokyo in Roppongi, Tokyo, from September 18 to December 14. Niki de Saint Phalle is a representative postwar artist. As a teenager, she worked as a model and appeared on the covers of fashion magazines such as Vogue. She later began creating art, leaving behind a profusion of works addressing themes such as war, racism, and the role of women in society. In 1961, she released her "shooting paintings," which she completed by firing guns at paintings covered in paint cans or bags. The act of creating these works was itself a performance art, and the process, broadcast on television and other media, evoked the violent acts of shooting that occurred in war zones around the world. This exhibition features over 100 of Niki de Saint Phalle's major works, spanning her early to later years. While following the basic structure of the major retrospective held at the Grand Palais in Paris in 2014, which attracted 600,000 visitors, it also incorporates unique Japanese elements. The museum will feature not only the "Shooting Paintings," but also her "Nana" series, which depicts liberated female figures using vibrant colors and free-flowing forms. Other works include those with religious themes, works depicting the relationship between men and women, and works related to her "Tarot Garden," a garden themed around tarot cards. The exhibition also focuses on Niki de Saint Phalle's relationship with the late Yoko Masuda Shizue, founder of the Niki Museum, who maintained a close relationship with her for over 20 years, as well as her interactions with Japan.
【Event Information】
"Niki de Saint Phalle Exhibition"
Venue: The National Art Center, Tokyo, Special Exhibition Gallery 1E
Address: 7-22-2 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
Dates: September 18th - December 14th
Hours: 10:00 - 18:00 (until 20:00 on Fridays, last admission 30 minutes before closing)
Closed: Tuesdays (open September 22nd and November 3rd), November 4th
Admission: Adults 1,600 yen, university students 800 yen, high school students 800 yen, free for junior high school students and younger
(Group and advance tickets: Adults 1,400 yen, university students 1,000 yen, high school students 600 yen)
