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On display, Agenda, Reviews, Events // Niki de Saint Phalle live!, writing and directing Juliette Andréa Thierrée, with Juliette Andréa Thierrée, Studio Hébertot, Paris

Apr 27, 2024 |
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ƒƒ article from Nicolas Brizault-Eyssette

Yes, a few things are wrong here and there. A text read, we do not know if this is intended, is part of the staging or if the first is difficult and the memory falters. This text also slips, slides. There is a struggle with the costumes, which refuse to be put on easily, or on the contrary which struggle to stay in place. The light cuts Niki de Saint Phalle in two, for quite a long time, at several moments. We can sometimes find a possible reason there, sometimes not, a failed cutting. Perhaps the worst? A false ending: darkness falls, applause bursts out, but no!!! Not right away, you still have to hold up a sign, you’ve already seen it, but hey, it’s as planned like that, silence, a little more “spreading”, twice the sign and presto, it’s is yours for the congratulations.

There you have it, all the negative is said. Not much actually. Niki de Saint Phalle, live! for everything else, transports us, enormously. Prevents us from taking the metro right away, a walk will do a lot of good. Juliette Andréa Thierrée accumulates “of”, “by” and “with”. It’s a show entirely about her, yes. And hats off to this sort of living bio of Niki de Saint Phalle. Niki is on stage and tells his story, autobiography. She has kept a dress or two, a bag, a short ostrich jacket, and she talks, explains, shows. And draw, almost. She tells about Mom, Dad, these two husbands, Harry Mathews, yes, at 18, the childhood friend, poet, and Jean Tinguely, above all. the children. Difficulties, suffering or not. This rape, incest. Tarot cards. She says why these sculptures, their forms so alive, real in fact. And we also need to move around a little, to participate a little all the same. Come on. Show that you are there, that you pay attention. Niki is sweet, funny, strong. She’s not here to have fun. Yes, living is good, even if you have to fight for it. Juliette Andréa Thierrée weaves together the hazards of this life. Bursts of laughter are heard at the beginning, yes, she is saying serious things, not seriously. Then the true meaning imposes itself, as if he were banging his fist on the table. “Yes I make you laugh, it’s light, but listen carefully…”. She doesn’t say this, but the room grasps the hidden violence, the reality. Paint thrown against the walls, crazy round sculptures? Think.

When we pass Beaubourg, in the museums, we will look more carefully. We will seek to better understand this fight, this explosion. We will read “My secret”, which Niki de Saint Phalle published at the age of 64, as a letter written to her daughter. Thanks to this triple work by Juliette Andréa Thierrée.