Niki de Saint Phalle's Revolutionary Feminist Art Arrives in Brazil with 67 Works

The exhibition 'Niki de Saint Phalle. Sonhos de Liberdade' opens at Casa Fiat de Cultura in Belo Horizonte, presenting 67 works by the Franco-American artist, most never before seen in Brazil. The show includes sculptures, assemblages, and her iconic Nanas—exaggerated female figures—drawn primarily from the collection of the Musée d'Art Moderne et d'Art Contemporain de Nice (MAMAC), with a rare piece from the Pinacoteca de São Paulo leaving that museum for the first time since 1997. Curated by Hélène Guenin and Olivier Bergesi, the exhibition traces Saint Phalle's career from early experiments to large-scale sculptures, highlighting phases marked by pain, experimentation, healing, celebration, and social engagement. It combines historical works, audiovisual records, and installations that dialogue with her vibrant visual language. The show runs until November 2, 2025, as part of the França-Brasil 2025 Season. Saint Phalle, who died in 2002, was a pioneering feminist who challenged patriarchal conventions through works like her 'Tirs' (shooting paintings) from 1961, where she fired a .22 caliber rifle at her canvases, and the Nanas from 1963. She donated a significant body of work to MAMAC shortly before her death. The exhibition is the result of an international partnership between the City of Nice, MAMAC, the Niki Charitable Art Foundation, and Milan's 24 Ore Cultura group.