Arbre Serpents (English: Serpent Tree) is a large, colorful outdoor sculpture by French-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle.[1]
| Abre Serpents | |
|---|---|
| Serpent Tree (English) | |
 | |
 | |
| Artist | Niki de Saint Phalle |
| Year | 1999 |
| Type | fiberglass, mosaic |
| Location | National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington, D.C., US |
| 38°54′02″N 77°01′43″W / 38.900544°N 77.028628°W | |
| Owner | Niki Charitable Art Foundation |
Description
editCreated in 1988,[2][3] the sculpture consists of brightly colored serpents intertwined around a central trunk-like form. It was created from stained glass and mirrors.[4]
Created in 1999, it showed at the Missouri Botanical Garden.[5] It is part of the National Museum of Women in the Arts, New York Avenue Sculpture Project.[6]
History
editIn 1987, Niki de Saint Phalle created a mosaic fountain version of the work, titled Arbre de Vie – Fontaine (Tree of Life, Fountain of Serpents).[7] The piece was later displayed at the Grand Palais in Paris during an exhibition that opened on Thursday, February 26, 2015.[8]
Following its presentation in Paris, the exhibition traveled to the Guggenheim Bilbao in Spain, where it was shown from February 27 to June 11, 2015.[9] Other examples of Saint Phalle’s public artworks can be found throughout Paris. Such as, Arbre de Vie – Fontaine and the artist’s earlier collaboration on the Stravinsky Fountain near the Centre Pompidou.
In May 2015, the sculpture was installed outdoors at Waterfront Park.[10] In a public exhibition in downtown San Diego, on loan from the Niki Charitable Art Foundation for a period of up to twelve years. At this location, three other Saint Phalle sculptures can also be found: Large Seal (Element of Seals), #19 Baseball Player, and Cat, which is also a play structure.[11]
Reviews
edit- Jacqueline Trescott (2010). "National Museum of Women in the Arts to turn D.C. corridor into sculpture alley". Style. The Washington Post. Retrieved 8 Feb 2011.
- Blake Gopnik (2010). "Sculptures add color to New York Avenue, but are they art?". Style. The Washington Post. Retrieved 9 Feb 2011.
Colorful art statues, New York Ave., NW, in downtown Washington, D.C
See also
edit- List of public art in Washington, D.C., Ward 2
- Queen Califia's Magical Circle – Sculpture garden in California, U.S.
References
edit- ↑ "Ssssssssserpent Tree: Niki de Saint Phalle’s Modern Take on Ancient Myth" Archived July 26, 2011, at the Wayback Machine, National Museum of Women in the Arts April 7, 2010
- ↑ "San Diego's Colorful Hidden Hotspots". San Diego Tourism Authority. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
- ↑ "Niki de Saint Phalle Foundation, L'Arbre-serpents, 1988". Mitterrand (in French). Retrieved 2025-10-17.
- ↑ "Where to Find the Best Mosaic Art in SoCal". PBS SoCal. 2018-05-02. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
- ↑ "Missouri Botanical Garden: Events at MBG". www.mobot.org.
- ↑ "New York Ave. Sculpture Project" (PDF). National Museum of Women in the Arts. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-12-19. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
- ↑ Beyond, Genie-- Paris And (2015-02-26). "Niki de Saint-Phalle - arbre de vie-fontaine". Paris and Beyond. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
- ↑ Carla (2024-10-03). "Art Basel Paris 2024 : les serpents de Niki de Saint Phalle sur le parvis de l'Institut de France - Arts in the City" (in French). Retrieved 2025-10-17.
- ↑ Beyond, Genie-- Paris And (2015-02-26). "Niki de Saint-Phalle - arbre de vie-fontaine". Paris and Beyond. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
- ↑ "Explore San Diego's Colorful Public Art | San Diego". www.sandiego.org. Retrieved 2025-10-17.
- ↑ Diego, Chris Jennewein • Times of San (2015-05-10). "3 Stunning Niki de Saint Phalle Sculptures Unveiled Downtown". Times of San Diego. Retrieved 2025-10-17.