We have selected Niki de Saint Phalle's 'Tympanum' at GoMA as an example of using an existing building as a framework for a new commission. Although the resulting artwork is scaled down from the original project plan, it has nevertheless become an emblem for the gallery and its developing attitude towards supporting current artistic practices.
Niki de Saint Phalle
Niki de Saint Phalle, born Catherine Marie-Agnes Fal de Saint Phalle (October 29, 1930) was a French sculptor, painter, and film maker. She was born in Paris and lived between France, Europe and the United States through her lifetime. In the early 1960s she became known for her 'Shooting Paintings', created by firing a .22 caliber rifle at paint containers. In 1971 she married the artist Jean Tinguely, with whom she collaborated frequently. Niki de Saint Phalle is perhaps best known for her monumental sculpture garden at Garavicchio, Tuscany. The garden, Giardino dei Tarocchiot or 'Tarot Garden' holds sculptures derived from the symbols found on Tarot cards. After more than 20 years of work, the garden was opened in 1998. Other public works include the Stravinsky Fountain (or Fontaine des automates) near the Centre Pompidou, Paris (1982), La fountaine Château-Chinon, at Château-Chinon, Nièvre (Collaboration with Jean Tinguely) and L'Ange Protecteur at the Hall of Zurich Train Station in 1997. Niki de Saint Phalle died on May 21, 2002 in La Jolla, California. The Niki Charitable Art Foundation, a non-profit organisation, was established in 2003.
