Discover our drop-in talks exploring the life and work of Niki de Saint Phalle as part of the exhibition ‘Niki de Saint Phalle & Jean Tinguely. Myths & Machines’ at Hauser & Wirth Somerset.

Focusing on The Tarot Garden and Saint Phalle’s wider engagement with tarot, the talks highlight the artist’s exploration of esotericism, showing how she translated myth, mysticism and personal experience into her practice.

Taking place fortnightly on Sundays at 2 pm from 21 September 2025 to 25 January 2026, these talks are free with no advance booking required. The talks are led by members of our gallery team, so please check in at front desk upon arrival.

• 21 September 2025, 2 – 2.30 pm

• 5 October 2025, 2 – 2.30 pm

• 19 October 2025, 2 – 2.30 pm

• 2 November 2025, 2 – 2.30 pm

• 16 November 2025, 2 – 2.30 pm

• 30 November 2025, 2 – 2.30 pm

• 14 December 2025, 2 – 2.30 pm

• 28 December 2025, 2 – 2.30 pm

• 11 January 2026, 2 – 2.30 pm

• 25 January 2026, 2 – 2.30 pm

About ‘Myths & Machines’
Niki de Saint Phalle (1930 – 2002) and Jean Tinguely (1925 – 1991) are reunited in a major site-wide takeover at Hauser & Wirth Somerset in collaboration with the Niki Charitable Art Foundation. The first exhibition dedicated to both artists in the UK illustrates Saint Phalle and Tinguely’s visionary artistic output and enduring creative collaboration over three decades. The exhibition features unseen works on paper and art decor by Saint Phalle, alongside shooting paintings and monumental open-air sculptures. Iconic kinetic machines by Tinguely range from the 1950s to the final year of his life, in addition to multifaceted collaborative works made by the duo throughout the 1980s. The exhibition is on view through Sunday 1 February 2026.

About Niki de Saint Phalle
Sculptor, painter and filmmaker Niki de Saint Phalle was born Catherine Marie-Agnès Fal de Saint Phalle on 29 October 1930 at Neuilly-sur-Seine in France. Personal crisis led her to painting, with Saint Phalle becoming an artist in the early 1950s. Experimental assemblages gave way to ‘Tirs,’ or shooting paintings, bringing her international fame and membership in a group of artists known as New Realists in 1961, which included Christo, Yves Klein, Arman and Jean Tinguely, amongst others. A close relationship to Swiss sculptor Tinguely developed into creative collaboration and marriage in 1971. They worked together on the construction of many major sculpture projects, such as the Tarot Garden, Tuscany, Italy (1980 – 1998) and Stravinsky Fountain Paris, France (1983). Saint Phalle died on 21 May 2002 in La Jolla CA.

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Photographs will be taken at this event for use on the Hauser & Wirth website, social media and in other marketing materials.