Niki de Saint-Phalle

JGM Galerie, Paris
Acquired from the above by the present owner in March 2004

This work is in very good and sound condition overall. There is a light surface soiling to the white grout and some scattered drip and dirt accretions and minor and unobtrusive scratches to the glass as to be expected with a work installed in an outdoor environment. The motor currently is not included with the work but Sotheby's will be happy to assist the purchaser and liaise with the necessary parties in order to update the mechanical components.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Executed in 1999, Nana Mosaïque Blanche exudes the vivacious and powerful energy that characterizes a principal theme of Niki de Saint-Phalle’s legacy: ‘Nana Power.’ Booming with monumental confidence and effeminate grace, Nana Mosaïque Blanche embodies de Saint-Phalle’s artistic vision. She claimed: “My work is about color, the changing of colors for dreams and emotions–red, blue, yellow green, purple. And it’s about roundness and the curves of nature. My work gives me hope, enthusiasm, structure. My work is my real diary” (the artist in Exh. Cat., Fondazione Roma Museo, Niki de Saint-Phalle, 2009, pp. 150-151). With the Nana series, de Saint-Phalle gained international recognition as a provocative avant-garde. Of her vast oeuvre of assemblage, painting and sculpture, de Saint-Phalle’s Nanas have come to define her impact on contemporary art history.

Following a thematic period of violence and aggression in de Saint-Phalle’s work, the first Nanas appeared in 1965 for a solo exhibition at the Galerie Alexandre Iolas in Paris. As de Saint-Phalle grew artistically and intellectually, so did her craft. Where the shocking and dramatic Shooting paintings recalled her disturbing childhood and deep-seated anger toward men, the Nanas evoke a positive message of recovery and strength. Straying from gunshots and gore, her creations grew increasingly joyous, playful and quintessentially feminist. With voluptuous curves and hyperbolic proportions, the Nanas celebrate women; they applaud the female figure in all of its art historical significance, challenging conventional expectations of a woman’s role in society. Nana Mosaïque Blanche perfectly captures this thwarting of norms, and symbolizes de Saint-Phalle’s triumphs as both a woman and an artist. The present work presents an archetype–the ‘Everywoman’–embracing feminist ideology in form and content.

De Saint-Phalle’s daring methods and aesthetically engaging works have brought her to the forefront of contemporary feminist discourse. Nana Mosaïque Blanche is a significant representation of her artistic identity–it encourages such discourse just as much as it promotes joy and an appreciation of beauty. The detailed mosaic work underscores de Saint-Phalle’s mastery while the tremendous scale commands attention and respect. It is the very essence of Nana Power.