NIKI de Saint Phalle

May 14, 2018
Osuch captures the spirit of her subject in this exceptional graphic biography of avant-garde sculptor, painter, and filmmaker Niki de Saint Phalle. Haunted by years of abuse suffered at the hands of her father, de Saint Phalle expresses her complex feelings through enormous sculptures and installations that are as strange, beautiful, and enigmatic as their creator. The biography documents the artist’s birth in 1930 in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France; the psychological trauma that defined her adolescence and young adulthood; her marriage at 18; the birth of her two children, and her wanderings with her husband and children throughout Europe. After violently reacting to being told her husband had an affair, and attempting suicide, de Saint Phalle checks into a psychiatric ward in Nice in the ’50s. She survives institutionalization, including shock therapy and starts on her path toward becoming a revered pop artist. (“I came in crazy, I’ll come out painting.”) Both the structure of the narrative and its visual canvas are inspired, whether in the tarot cards that introduce each chapter’s symbolism, or the black and white illustrations punctuated strategically with color. Indeed, color becomes an emotive force, with stunning two-page spreads, such as the inspiring portrait of the gardens that the young family explore while in Spain. For readers who follow contemporary art, this homage brings to light the tumultuous history that fed de Saint Phalle’s creativity.

June 1, 2018
A creative powerhouse, Niki de Saint Phalle was a writer, filmmaker, and painter but is best known for her massive, colorful sculptures. Her personal life was difficult, at best. A traumatic early childhood left deep marks, her marriages were plagued by infidelities, and she suffered horribly from debilitating pain and mental illness, including severe bouts of depression. Art, however, was always present, and she credits her desire to create with literally keeping her alive. Told chronologically from birth to death, her story is related in chapters that each open with a tarot card that defines the overarching theme of that period. A book about this artist demands color, and there is plenty of it in the predominantly black-and-white pencil drawings. Small splashes draw the eye to significant items, bold shapes illustrate abstract ideas, and full-color pages burst with the joy of creative fervor. While visually engaging, this graphic novel offers just a taste of de Saint Phalle's life; pair it with a more comprehensive biography for a fuller understanding of this complex artist.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)