Reading the Streets: Niki de Saint Phalle on Park Avenue

NEW YORK – Marking the 10-year anniversary of Niki de Saint Phalle’s death, an installation of her curvy, joyful women dance along Park Avenue. The sculptures, created out of polyester resin, some with mosaics of ceramic and glass, memorialize the achievement of the French artist whose work incorporates a joie de vivre as big as a New York summer. The vibrant women meld perfectly with all the color surrounding them on the iconic avenue—vibrant sundresses, the perfect summer blue sky, men’s rainbow ties.

Les Baigneurs starts the exhibition, which runs down from 60th Street and encompasses nine pieces including works from her tribute to jazz musicians, such as Louis Armstrong and Miles Davis, and her Grand Step Totem.

Saint Phalle created her memorable women or nanas in the ’80s when she solidified her international reputation as a sculptor. Some of her more famous works include the installations in the Tarot Garden in Tuscany, Italy and hon, a giant nana in Sweden.

The New York exhibit appears on behalf of the Nohra Haime Gallery in collaboration with the Parks Department and will be running through November.