Details

Visionary Trio and Disruptive Art

Dive into the rebellious world of Niki de Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely, and Pontus Hulten, an immersive retrospective celebrating the creative synergy of this legendary trio, where playful sculptures, kinetic machines, and participatory utopias challenge conventions for accessible, multidisciplinary, and engaged art.

At the Grand Palais, explore over 200 iconic works—from Saint Phalle’s explosive Tirs to Tinguely’s noisy Metronomes, alongside illustrated archives and correspondence—tracing their collaboration from Hon – en Katedral (1966) to Le Crocrodrome de Zig & Puce (1977) and the Stravinsky Fountain (1983).

Co-produced with the Centre Pompidou, this exhibition highlights Hulten’s pivotal role as the first director of the National Museum of Modern Art in supporting their mutual artistic journey—melding love, friendship, and provocation to redefine contemporary art as a joyful collective act.​

Dates and Duration

Running from June 26, 2025, to January 4, 2026, this six-and-a-half-month retrospective extends the tribute through winter, allowing a gradual discovery of their monumental projects.

Open Tuesday through Sunday, it features live guided tours, including one on July 20, 2025, to enrich the playful experience.

This generous duration encourages repeat visits, capturing the disruptive energy across festive seasons.​

Opening Hours

Open Tuesday to Sunday, 10:00 AM to 7:30 PM (late opening Fridays until 10:00 PM, last entry one hour before closing), closed Mondays and on January 1, May 1, and December 25.

Self-guided visits last about 1 to 1.5 hours, promoting an interactive stroll through the renovated spaces.

Extended hours, especially in the evening, accommodate urban schedules while deepening the utopian immersion.​

Location and Access

Located at Grand Palais, 3 Avenue du Général Eisenhower, 75008 Paris.

Situated on the Champs-Élysées in Paris’s 8th arrondissement, the palace is accessible by metro (lines 1, 9, and 13 at Franklin D. Roosevelt station) or RER A (Charles de Gaulle – Étoile station).

This historic monument, renovated for its 2025 reopening, enhances the trio’s installations by blending neoclassical architecture with 20th-century innovative art.​

Admission and Accessibility

Tickets are priced at €17 full price (€14 reduced for students, seniors, and groups); free entry for under 18s and EU residents aged 18-25.

No reservation required for chosen dates; multilingual audio guides and accessibility features (elevators, ramps) ensure full inclusion for all visitors.

This balanced pricing democratizes the trio’s participatory art, making their utopias accessible to families and an international audience.​

Artistic Context

Born in 1930 in Neuilly-sur-Seine and passing in 2002 in La Jolla, Niki de Saint Phalle created the Tirs (1961) to unleash color and emotion, crafting joyful, empowered Nanas challenging female stereotypes. Swiss pioneer of kinetic art Jean Tinguely (1925–1991) built absurd machines critiquing industrial society.

Pontus Hulten (1924–2006), Swedish and first director of the National Museum of Modern Art at the Centre Pompidou (1977–1981), championed their radicalism, acquiring Le Crocrodrome (1977) and organizing retrospectives (Saint Phalle in 1980, Tinguely in 1988), promoting art for all through projects like Hon—a giant vaginal cathedral.

Co-produced by the Centre Pompidou and Grand Palais Rmn, curated by Sophie Duplaix and Rita Cusimano, this exhibition—with archival films and illustrated letters—recounts their anarchic utopia, portraying the trio as a transformative force blending rebellion, humor, and humanism in contemporary art.