Sunday, April 3, 2011

Outside-In





























Today I went to the exhibition of Niki de Saint Phalle "Outside-In" at Schunck*, Heerlen. As long as I can remember I'm a big fan of her work. My dad had a book of her work and when I was young I just liked the colours she used at her sculptures: her Nana's.  As I grew up I became fascinated by her life, the things she struggled with. I love her Shooting Paintings, the idea is just great and wonderful that she shot her own paintings. That must have been some happenings! I love her way of feminism: not the pent-up, politically coloured form of feminism, but an unconstrained variant that celebrated a strong perception of woman in a way that was playful and full of humor. For De Saint Phalle, the feminine was first and foremost a mentality, an attitude towards the world rooted in intuition, openness, eroticism and feeling. In her eyes, this mentality does not exclude the rational, conceptual and dynamic that passes as masculine, but incorporates it and utilises the best of it. She believed this synhesis would eventually result in new, better human beings. Such a perception of woman, tending towards the androgynous, was new and provocative at the beginning of the 1960s.
To remind me that I can do anything as a woman and as an artist I have a tattoo of one of her drawings on my arm. It's the drawing of a Nana who has one arm and one wing: it's also a memory of my mother. She was a strong woman and she always said I could do everything I want!

14 comments:

  1. O, wat leuk Niki de Saint Phalle, daar ben ik ook fan van. Prachtig.
    Grrr Heerlen is wel erg ver weg van Amsterdam

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  2. This tattoo is also a nice tribute to your mum. I will have to learn a bit more about Niki of Saint Phalle work.
    Greetings!

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  3. Niki is great, love her work!
    in<3with tattoo

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  4. A powerful post. Very meaningful this connection you have to Niki de Saint Phalle, and after reading your words, I understand why.
    Thank you for the introduction.

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  5. céline,
    what a great review about Nikki, you put here!
    I love Nikki and their work, I was also at an exhibition of her a few years ago and was fascinated!
    and I love your tattoo, so significant to you!
    wise teaching of thy mother ...
    congratulations dear!
    XX

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  6. absolute stunning and strong; the tattoo and the memory of your mum. Of course, we can do whatever we want!!

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  7. Hello, how are you? I'm so glad you like my work. Thank you, and your input, I think it must be a major exhibition is a great artist. A hug!

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  8. darf ich ein bild von dir benutzen und dich dann auf meinem blog verlinken? ich finde deinen blog echt gut und ich glaub der ein oder andere meiner leser würde gerne auch dein leser werden. lg

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  9. hi celine, ich hab schon viele arbeiten von niki gesehen und bin großer fan von ihr. ich wohne in der nähe von hannover und niki hat dem dortigen sprengel-museum (http://www.sprengel-museum.de/)eine große schenkung gemacht. in hannover wurden 1974 drei große nanas am ufer des flusses leine aufgestellt, was damals große proteste hervorrief!! aber jetzt lieben alle diese nanas!
    die erinnerung an deine mutter mit dem tollen tattoo finde ich großartig! herzlichen gruß von mano

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  10. Thank you all very much for your nice comments, I means a lot to me!

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  11. I love this post! And the tattoo is great!

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  12. Mooi persoonlijk verslag van jouw bezoek en wat er verder aan verbonden is. Fijn weekend gewenst!

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