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Perspectives
Niki de Saint Phalle’s Magic Circle
darrelyn gunzburg
Queen Califia’s Magical Circle Gar-
den bursts into view from amongst
a host of trees and bushes in the
Kit Carson Park in Escondido, South-
ern California, a glinting robust dance of
vibrant mosaics at once innocent, unpre-
dictable, and alive, made meaningful
through the hands of the late, acclaimed
artist, Niki de Saint Phalle (29 October
1930–21 May 2002). Niki’s aim was to
make people smile more. Born in France
of French heritage, she was raised and
educated in the USA, but returned with
her first husband to Europe in her
twenties. At the age of 25, when she
had already begun work as a painter, her
life was transformed when she encoun-
tered the architecture of Antonio Gaudi in
Barcelona. Without formal training, she
emerged in the 1960s as a powerful and
original voice on the international arts
scene, the only female member of a Paris-
based group of artists, the Nouveaux
Re
´alistes. Amongst these was Jean Tin-
guely, who was to become her second
husband, and Arman (see cover and
article ‘Le Violon Bleu’, The Art Book Vol.
16 No. 1, February 2009). Her particular
style came into being through years of
collaboration with dancers, set designers,
stonecutters, masons and welders. This is
her only American sculpture garden and
her last major international project, in-
spired by California’s mythic, historic and
cultural roots and created as her tribute to
California.
darrelyn gunzburg
Bristol University All imagesare sculpturesby Niki de SaintPhalle from
Quee n Cali ¢a’s Ma gical Cir cle Ga rden, Kit C arson
Park, Escondido, S outhern C alifornia, including (page
17) UntitledTotem[LargeBirdonaSquare](2002)
and (p age 18, to p lef t) Cat Head Totem (2002). All
images r2 009 NIKI CHARITABLE ART FOUNDATION.
All right s reser ved. Photograph s: Darrelyn Gunzburg .
16 The Art Book volume 16 issue 3 august 2009 r2009 the authors. journal compilation r2009 bpl/aah
r2009 the authors. journal compilation r2009 bpl/aah volume 16 issue 3 august 2009 The Art Book 17
Perspectives
18
Perspectives