Elephant Vase
Niki de Saint Phalle's *Elephant Vase* is a vibrant and playful sculpture that embodies her signature bold use of color and whimsical imagery. The ceramic and polystyrene form is adorned with vivid, contrasting hues that bring the elephant figure to life with an exuberant, almost carnival-like energy. True to de Saint Phalle's artistic vision, the piece merges functionality with joyful, folk-inspired aesthetics, transforming an everyday object into a celebration of life and creativity.
- Medium
- Ceramic and polystyrene vase, painted in colors.
- Location
- Phillips, Salt Lake City, UT
- Spotted At
- Auction House · PhillipsView on map
🔨 Auction Lot
Evening & Day Editions
October 17, 2018
More by Niki de Saint Phalle
Artists in conversation
Yayoi Kusama
Japanese · b. 1929
Kusama creates boldly colored sculptural and decorative objects with playful repetitive patterns that share the same vibrant carnival energy and whimsical figurative quality seen in the Elephant Vase. Her pumpkin sculptures and painted ceramic works similarly transform everyday forms into joyful celebrations of color and life.
Keith Haring
American · b. 1958
Haring frequently depicted animal figures including elephants using thick outlines and vivid contrasting colors with a folk inspired pop art sensibility that closely mirrors de Saint Phalle's approach in this piece. His decorative painted sculptures and ceramics share the same exuberant playful mood and accessible figurative language.
Miró, Joan
Spanish · b. 1893
Miró created painted ceramic sculptures and decorative objects featuring bright bold colors and whimsical biomorphic figures that echo the joyful folk inspired aesthetic of the Elephant Vase. His collaborative ceramic works share the same quality of transforming functional or sculptural forms into vibrant playful celebrations of color and imagination.
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