- Born
- Died
- Birth nameCatherine Marie-Agnes Fal de Saint Phalle
- Niki De Saint Phalle was born on October 29, 1930 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. She was a writer and production designer, known for A Dream Longer Than the Night (1976), Daddy (1973) and The Laughing Woman (1969). She was married to Jean Tinguely and Harry Mathews. She died on May 21, 2002 in San Diego, California, USA.
- SpousesJean Tinguely(1971 - 1991) (his death)Harry Mathews(1949 - 1961) (divorced, 2 children)
- Franco-American artist internationally known for her colorful, monumental, cartoonlike sculptures and environments.
- She created "Nanas", bulbous, maternal figures painted in bold colors and decorated with crisp, cartoon outlines.
- She is known for what she called "target paintings," at which darts were thrown, and then for actual "shooting paintings" and sculptures.
- Mother of Laura Duke Condominas.
- When director Robert Bresson was considering a film about the legend of King Arthur in the 1950s, he saw Niki De Saint Phalle and immediately wanted her to play Queen Guinevere. The project fell through, but was revived more than 20 years later. While casting this later film, Lancelot of the Lake (1974), he discovered a young actress who perfectly matched his idea of what Guinevere should look like. It turned out to be Niki's daughter, Laura Duke Condominas.
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