A legendary couple, Niki de Saint Phalle (1930 – 2002) and Jean Tinguely (1925 – 1991) are united by an unbreakable artistic bond and a shared vision of creation as an act of rebellion against established norms.
The exhibition traces the prolific career of the two artists through the figure of Pontus Hulten (1924 – 2006) , first director of the Musée national d’art moderne Centre Pompidou, who shared their conception of a disruptive, multidisciplinary and participatory art. Throughout his career, he provided unconditional support to Saint Phalle and Tinguely: acquisitions of works, dedicated retrospectives, carte blanche and support for extraordinary projects such as the gigantic Nana from the exhibition Hon – en Katedral (1966) at the Moderna Museet in Stockholm, or the exhibition Le Crocrodrome de Zig & Puce (1977) in the Forum of the Centre Pompidou.
Born from the rich collections of the Centre Pompidou and major loans from French and foreign institutions, "Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely, Pontus Hulten" invites you to discover or rediscover the emblematic works of these two major artists, carried by an exceptional museum man, through a historical and playful journey where art, love, friendship and commitment intertwine.
