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  • Admission: 17 € / concessions 13 €

  • Children / young people under 18 : free

  • Members of Friends of the Kunstpalast: free

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Niki de Saint Phalle

Dream Machine

10 September 2026 – 7 February 2027

Niki de Saint Phalle
Niki de Saint Phalle, La tempérance, model for „Jardin des tarots“, 1985

Date

10 September 2026 – 7 February 2027

Location

» Kunstpalast

  • Admission: 17 € / concessions 13 €

  • Children / young people under 18: free

  • Members of Friends of the Kunstpalast: free

The work of Niki de Saint Phalle (1930–2002) mounts a radical challenge to the discrimination of women and asserts a new, monumental vision of femininity. The Kunstpalast presents her iconic female figures, shooting paintings, happenings, sculptures and films, along with models for large-scale outdoor works, with particular attention to how she carved out artistic autonomy within a male-dominated field.

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Niki de Saint Phalle, Nana rouge jambes en l’air, c. 1968
Niki de Saint Phalle, Nana rouge jambes en l’air, c. 1968

“Nana Power!” – seen from today’s vantage point, her singular practice and her determination to upend gender relations place her squarely within the sphere of feminist activism, even if she never claimed the term herself.

The exhibition places de Saint Phalle’s work in dialogue with selected pieces by her contemporaries. Encounters with artist friends such as Jean Tinguely, Jasper Johns and Robert Rauschenberg, as well as Yayoi Kusama and Dorothy Iannone, sharpen the contours of her position and illuminate the enduring impact of her artistic legacy.

Die Ausstellung DREAM MACHINE mit mehr als 100 Werken entsteht in Kooperation mit dem Nationalmuseum in Wrocław sowie in enger Zusammenarbeit mit der Niki Charitable Art Foundation San Diego und dem Sprengel Museum Hannover.

Curator: Heike van den Valentyn

Per Olof Ultvedt, Robert Rauschenberg, Martial Raysse, Daniel Spoerri, Jean Tinguely, Niki de Saint Phalle, 1962, Foto (c) Christer Strömholm
Per Olof Ultvedt, Robert Rauschenberg, Martial Raysse, Daniel Spoerri, Jean Tinguely, Niki de Saint Phalle, 1962, Foto (c) Christer Strömholm

Talk


Curator Heike van den Valentyn in conversation with Marcelo Zitelli

Curator Heike van den Valentyn talks to Marcelo Zitelli, former assistant to Niki de Saint Phalle and a member of the board of trustees of the Niki Charitable Art Foundation, about the artist and her work.
She wanted to be free and carved out a place for herself, gaining power and influence in a male-dominated art scene: the artist Niki de Saint Phalle (1930–2002). Her work places a particular focus on strong women and self-determination, including over one’s own body. From her ‘shooting paintings’ to the large, colourful Nanas, the exhibition explores four decades of the Franco-American artist’s work. Find out more about her ambivalent body of work, which addresses a wide range of topics– from anger to zest for life – and is becoming increasingly relevant.
Please note that the conversation will be held in English.

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Photo: Andreas Endermann
Photo: Andreas Endermann

studio niki


hand-on-mosaic

Many of Niki de Saint Phalle’s artworks were created through collaboration with others. We’re continuing this tradition here at Studio Niki: throughout the exhibition, our mosaic wall will take shape on the second floor in the ERGO Foyer of the Kunstpalast, made up of many individual pieces.
Fancy having a go? Then pop round, design your own mosaic pieces and attach them to the wall.

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Exhibition Catalogue

Published by Heike van den Valentyn | 200 pages | 130 mostly colour illustrations and 20 b/w . | 28 x 23,5 cm | German | Hardcover | museum shop price: 39,80 €

45,00 €

Delivery time: 3-5 days

Free shipping in Germany
More info about shipping costs here

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Photo: Andreas Endermann
Photo: Andreas Endermann

Audio­guide


With more than 100 works, the Kunstpalast presents the full range of Niki de Saint Phalle’s oeuvre—which encompasses painting, assemblage, performance, sculpture, architecture, film, graphic art, design, and public art—across twelve thematic rooms.
Narrated by actress Anna Schudt, the audio guide takes you through the exhibition, offering fascinating background stories on selected works. The tour is available in the Kunstpalast app and at the ticket office.

Price: 3 €
Duration: 40 Minutes
Language: German

Availability: 10 September 2026 – 7 February 2027
The audio guide is played via your smartphone.

The App is available from the App Store (iOS) and Google Play.

Photo: Andreas Endermann
Photo: Andreas Endermann

Private guided Tours


Whether alone, as a couple, as a birthday present or as a team event – discover Niki de Saint Phalle. Dream Machine as part of a private tour!

Our experienced art educators will give you and your group a compact overview of the exhibition and will be happy to answer your questions and address your interests.
Private tours are overview tours of our special exhibitions or the collection and can be booked individually for your group.

The fee for a 60-minute foreign-language guided tour is 103 €, plus admission for all participants.

A maximum of 20 people can take part in each tour.

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