Psychodelic Whimsy at Niki de Saint Phalle Show at MoMA PS1

While I haven’t heard of artist Niki de Saint Phalle before, I immediately fell in love with her work at the recent show opened at MoMA PS1 in Long Island City. Her first major US exhibition, Structures for Life features over 200 works that highlight Saint Phalle’s interdisciplinary approach.

Early on, Saint Phalle pushed against accepted artistic norms, creating artworks that used performances—such as shooting at her canvases–as well as large-scale sculptures like her Nanas. From the late 1960s onwards, Saint Phalle expanded her practice to include architectural projects, sculpture gardens, books, prints, films, theater sets, clothing, jewelry, and, famously, her own perfume.