Located: Gladney Rose Garden (n6) - Download map
Date completed: 2001
Origin: USA
Medium: Polyurethane foam, resin shell, steel armature, base shell, ceramic tiles, tumbled stones, and glass
Height: 16.5 ft.
Weight: 2,000 lbs.
In this totem, a Nana-like mother and her child are placed under a deity represented by a mask. On the reverse side, this image is entitled Nun, and may reflect the time Niki spent in convent schools as a young child in the 1930s and 1940s.
Additional Information
Many pieces in our exhibit are accompanied by a free audio tour and podcast. Links to the audio files are provided below, as well as a transcript of the recording.
Did Native American culture influence Niki's work? (mp3)
Phone: (314) 558-4357 - 18#
Niki's Totems reveal her exploration of Native American culture and traditions. She always admired American Indian totems and felt they contained a spiritually protective, mysterious glow. She consulted Native American experts and invited them to monitor their ritualistic installation in her magical Queen Califia's circle sculpture garden in California.
These sculptures are based on the structure, symbolism and spiritual art of Native American totem poles. They represent the rich textures as well as the pastel palette of Niki's last Californian mosaic style. Notice how they are covered in an extraordinary variety of materials.
While it may be hard to decode the meanings of the Totems, Niki subjects the creatures of the lower tiers to the protective or destructive power of the animals on the top. On Grand Step Totem, a Nana-like mother and her child are placed under a deity represented by a mask.
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