Grade 3 Student Artwork – The Wonderful World of Nikki de Satin Phalle

Like Marymount Paris, Nikki de Saint Phalle is from Neuilly-sur-Seine. She was an untrained artist who came to age in the 1950s. Because she was exceptionally beautiful, she first became a fashion model. She left it all behind to become an artist. Students learned that Saint Phalle is best known for her Nanas and the Stravinsky Fountain in Paris.

Her Nanas are a satirical take on modern Western views of women. They are large-scale sculptures that depict big, fat, curvy women with exceptionally vivid colors. As for the fountain, it is located between the Centre Pompidou and the Forum des Halles in central Paris. In 1983, she collaborated with Jean Tinguely to create a whimsical, moving sculpture fountain in honor of Igor Stravinsky. The intent was to evoke Stravinsky’s encounters with jazz.

Students enthusiastically examined photos of the fountain and created sun creatures, elephants, serpents, lips, and hearts using alcohol-based markers. These permanent markers spread smoothly, have intense colors, and dry quickly. Some pieces were partially painted with acrylic paints.