Niki de Saint Phalle - Pills

Lithograph, 1970

Edition of 36/50

Published by Galerie Alexandre Iolas, Paris
Printed by Clot, Bramsen et Georges, Paris

Catalog Raisonné:
Ulm 5, p.32

89.00 × 61.00 cm | 35.04 × 24.02 in. (Sheet)
89.00 × 61.00 cm | 35.04 × 24.02 in. (Image)

Signed in pencil
With a certificate of authenticity
Condition: Very good

Arches paper
Slight paper discoloration
Crease in the upper left corner

Description

In this work, **Niki de Saint Phalle** powerfully presents a certain contradiction inherent in modern society. The freedom women have gained regarding their bodies remains subject to societal scrutiny and debate.

The birth control pills and Lippes Loop IUDs depicted in the image symbolize medical progress while also illustrating the reality that society expects women to manage their own reproduction.

Meanwhile, the upright male figure is rendered as a ghostly silhouette, suggesting that desire and power remain unevenly distributed.

Even the Nanas, symbols of strength and freedom, appear to possess a certain wavering and uncertainty. Here, Niki de Saint Phalle not only celebrates the theme of women's liberation but also highlights the social tensions and contradictions behind it.