Lens-Artists PC: Splashing in Niki’s Garden

Here is a true story to lead you into the garden where the Magician stands on the head of the splashing High Priestess. Sounds like life.

It’s 1991 and I’m out of the country without my parents for the first time. The country is France and Paris is the last stop after Cote d’Azure, Lyon and several castles upon the Loire. I’m close to fed up with churches and museums by that point but Pompidou is Pompidou and we must go.

Not that the insides aren’t spectacular, but I find myself sitting by the large pool in front of the building and sketching. If you know me, you’d know that I never sketch. It’s just not in my blood. But this pool is peopled with such a variety of squirting and revolving objects that I pay close attention. There are lips and hearts and metal, up goes this and down goes that, and the entirety makes the kind of messy sense that is just what I need at the moment.

I never learn the name of the artist so it’s only after my first visit to the Tarot Garden (Il giardino dei tarocchi) here in the south of Tuscany that I see the resemblance. Indeed both are the works of Niki de Saint Phalle in cooperation with her husband Jean Tinguely (and several others).

There is something about the Garden that pulls me close. So far I’ve counted more than a dozen visits and I post photos from there regularly. Today’s photos are all from my most recent visit last month.

And this Saturday I can go again. It’s December 1, the first Saturday in the month when the Tarot Garden is free to enter (until April when the season starts and freedom is gone).

Just be sure you’re there at 9 when it opens. As I was leaving the last time, I was greeted by this view:

What are they building? I suppose a refreshment unit of some sort.

Since today’s Lens-Artists Photo Challenge calls for splashes, here is how Niki envisioned the flow of life.

If you wish to see how the sculptures, representing the major tarot cards, are placed in the Tarot Garden, here is the interactive map.

The first thing you see in the Giardino.

This dog wishes to splash around in that, I’m sure.

The silver fellow is Card no. I: The Magician. The life spurting blue face belongs to The High Priestess, Card no. II. The Wheel of Fortune, Card no. X, is the black four-hearted device in front.

The water splashing out of the mouth of the Priestess.

In black and white a new world is revealed.

The close-up of the tiles.

The Magician reflected.

Another reflection. Beats sketching…

This is The Sun, Card no. XIX.

Plenty of nooks and Niki-made benches to relax.

And watch the splashing.

I love it how expressive Italians take it in wide-eyed and loudly comment, praise or – rarely – protest.

It looks as if they were getting wet.

Some of Niki’s designs displayed. Yes, it says “wine” on the left.

If you continue, you enter a courtyard with more splashing. This is the look up.

And this is the look down.

Not one…

…but four multicoloured Nanas ready to quench your thirst for life.

They are ready, willing and waiting.

For Lens-Artists Photo Challenge, hosted by Patti of pilotfishblog.com: Splash!