Niki de Saint Phalle: The 1980s and 1990s – Art Unleashed Personal Reflections on an Exhibit That Broke the Rules

I had an enjoyable experience with this exhibit — it flipped my understanding of what “good” art is supposed to be. One of the first things I saw was this larger-than-life woman figure, dressed like a Tarot card. At first glance, I’ll be honest, I thought, Did a kid make this? It felt chaotic, unrefined, and honestly… kind of like arts and crafts. There wasn’t the “tap-tap” of precision we’re used to in traditional museum art — no oil-on-canvas gravitas. But it turns out that was precisely the point.

I saw the exhibit at the Musée national des beaux-arts du Québec in Quebec City — and honestly, the setting itself helped shape the experience. The building is gorgeous, airy, and almost dreamlike. Walking through it felt like stepping into another world — one that wasn’t too concerned with linear logic or strict pathways. I got turned around a few times, but eventually, I just let myself be guided by the exhibit’s design. It felt less like a gallery and more like a journey — a colorful, unpredictable, slightly magical one.

Niki de Saint Phalle didn’t follow the rules, and this entire exhibit — Art Unleashed — celebrates that freedom. It focuses on the final two decades of her life, from the 1980s through the 1990s, when she had complete control over her voice and her vision. She wasn’t just making art for galleries — she was making jewelry, perfume bottles, even furniture. She believed that art should be accessible to everyone, and she meant it. She made public art, playful art — but never shallow art.

Sure, some of the works look like they were made with crayons or stickers, but beneath the childlike surface was something powerful: commentary on women’s rights, racism, the AIDS epidemic, even environmental destruction. It was joy as resistance. Glitter as protest. Her vibrant, strange, beautiful works were never just decoration — they were declarations.

One of the most unforgettable moments was seeing the Angel of Temperance, a five-meter-tall, golden-winged Nana sculpture right in the museum’s Grand Hall. She’s impossible to miss — bold, joyous, and powerful in a way that doesn’t rely on sharp angles or steel. Instead, she radiates color, softness, and strength all at once.