L-A: Narrow escape

• Manja Maksimovič

For Niki de Saint Phalle, her art was an escape. Before she left, she left us the testimony of her life of narrow escapes, which culminated in her Tarot Garden right here in lower Tuscany.

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Today there won’t be many words. Niki’s Giardino dei tarocchi is full of narrow passages, entrances, pathways and peeks. Do yourself a favour and visit, as we did twenty days ago and many times before, since it’s fifteen minutes away. The day was murky, the sky covered, people stayed away, and Niki’s monumental structures were there almost only for us. Welcome!

  • The first inviting narrow passage.
  • “If life is a game of cards, we are born without knowing the rules and must play our hand…”
  • Some of the words: beauty, sun, life, art, joy.
  • What you see through the narrow entrance in the previous photo: The Hanged Man.
  • This is Justice and her bowels move.
  • These narrow steps are forbidden, but you can look at the water through the hole.
  • The main courtyard with pillars and the fountain of women.
  • Many narrow nooks where you can rest.
  • From the courtyard you can go up.
  • The narrow path leads all around.
  • Several narrow spaces.
  • They let the dogs in.
  • This is how it goes, round and round. See the pillow that was left unfinished.
  • The look down.
  • The Tower of Babel, narrowly decapitated.
  • Niki’s living-room. This door may lead to the underground to where she was forced to move because she couldn’t bear this disco atmosphere for long.
  • Niki’s bedroom. Not a narrow bed, but confined.
  • The view of La Luna from the living-room.
  • In here they made a little chapel for Niki.
  • I didn’t enter through this narrow entrance this time.
  • I love it how nature is incorporated in the garden, or is it the other way round.

For Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, hosted by Amy at THE WORLD IS A BOOK…: Narrow

32 thoughts on “L-A: Narrow escape”

    1. Thanks, Jo. Oh yes, she had a rollercoaster life and had strong and wild artistic impulses. Worth to read about it. Early in her career she used to shoot at her statues in front of live audience. And she often named Gaudi as a strong influence.

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  13. I had no idea who Nikki de Saint Phalke was till I saw this post and I’m left speechless. I don’t even know where to begin from- the colours , the sculptures all came together in a crazy manner and I can only imagine how fabulous it must have been to see it all in person. Awesome post Manja!

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    1. Thank you so much, sheetalbravon. Your comment made me smile because it’s energetic and your energy travels well. This garden is 15 minutes from my home and I visit whenever I can. Her name is Niki de Saint Phalle and it’s worth to search out her life story which is amazing and devastating too. Her art was her survival. Always welcome back to my blog.

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