Niki de Saint Phalle & Jean Tinguely at Hauser & Wirth Somerset
In this gallery talk, the speaker outlines the dynamic partnership between Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely, focusing on a bold 1970s Milan performance where Saint Phalle shot paint‑filled birds at a massive altarpiece built by Tinguely, creating an explosive burst of colour that the speaker describes as therapeutic for Saint Phalle’s anger and pain. The narrative also highlights Tinguely’s construction of a gigantic chess piece in 1970, their growing fame as a couple, and Saint Phalle’s eventual shift from darker, angst‑driven works to bright, celebratory sculptures—most famously her oversized “hands” that later appeared in dance performances across Asia. The talk concludes by noting the presence of works that blend machine movement with cultural figures such as Tang Li and Li Pingdi, illustrating the continued interplay of technology and tradition in Saint Phalle’s oeuvre.
