(…Continued)

Over the fence we go! And as soon as my feet land on the other side I can’t help but think that we shoulda brought the cheese that we had in the car just in case the guard dogs showed up…. but I am inside! My heart is soaring and pounding at the same time. A private viewing of Niki de St. Phalle’s Tarot Garden! And it’s even more magical than I had ever imagined. It is a wonderland of giant, whimsical sculptures full of wonders.

Adrenaline rushes through me as we look around for any sign of trouble. We tread lightly and  leaves crackle softly under our feet. We approach the first piece with great admiration laughing quietly at our fortune. I stand before it in reverence and the artist speaks to me~

Niki created this garden during the last 20 years of her life. She died in 2002. While it was under construction she lived inside of the massive Empress sculpture. Her bedroom was made inside one of the breasts, the left one, and her kitchen was in the right and was covered completely in fragmented mirrors. The beautiful mind of Niki was everywhere, so bright and full of stories and meanings. I could only wish that I had known her. But in a way, to be here, was to know her.

Overlooking the Empress

The Tower

We enter what I will call the cloister; an area with many columns each seeming to display a different side of her. Some had numbers, some hands, some bumps, tiny pyramids… it was so multi textured and magnificent. I spun around inside there full of happiness. I found a panel where her pain bled through the colorful joyous walls. A panel with a heart, torn out, blood staining the clean, white background. Niki’s early paintings were so dark. It seems that she painted most of it out, though some remained. Her art was something of a pain extractor. 

As the sun began to set, we climbed the blue, serpentine staircase of the High Priestess and surveyed the grounds. A patchwork of greens faded into the distant town which merged into the horizon. The sinking sun glowed in opalescent shades of pink and orange which reflected off of the crowns of the sculptures. Time stood still. I took everything in just as it was. I had anticipated this day for years, but in all my imagination I could have never conceived of this perfect moment. 

The sky shifted from pink to indigo and the full moon came out multiplying its face within a million facets of mirror. I stood there for a long time, my head whirling with inspiration and ideas. I’ve always wanted to create a world. I love the way circumambient art can make you feel~ I want to live in that feeling and bring it to lots of people.

On top of the High Priestess

The stars came out, the moon rose higher and time returned. It was dark and it seemed the right moment to climb back over the gate. But on our way out I made one last stop at the Justice sculpture intrigued by what was inside it. I’d blown by it earlier on the way to the cloisters and now as I was leaving, the dark inner chamber behind and the locked gate was calling for investigation. I approached the bars and switched on my headlamp.

The Justice sculpture

ALL OF THE SUDDEN, with great drama, an intense, bright light radiated out from the chamber accompanied by a cacophony of screeching, clangs and clamors. It was so unexpected, I nearly had a heart attack. Triggered by my movement, the wheels churned, a skeleton moved up and down; the contraption was alive! I stood there in shock for just enough time to snap a photo. Now it was really time to go! We ran through the darkness dodging sculptures and trees as we scrambled for the way out. 

Taking care not to catch a snag on the  barbed wire we hopped back over the gate. Relief. Laughing, we ran swiftly through the darkened orchard to the car as “Justice” carried on with her uncloseted rage behind us.

Over and out-

Now back to Napoli to paint that tram!

That damned contraption. Good one, St. Phalle.