Between Ecstasy and Self-Determination
Female Perspectives in the Art of Dorothy Iannone, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Sarah Pucci
How does art change when women are no longer objects of depiction but subjects of expression?
In this exhibition, Dorothy Iannone, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Sarah Pucci each offer their own distinct and deeply personal answers to this question. Their works explore female desire, corporeality, and self-empowerment – while also raising questions about visibility, modes of expression, and the standards of the art world..
Titled “Between Ecstasy and Self-Determination: Female Perspectives in the Art of Dorothy Iannone, Niki de Saint Phalle, and Sarah Pucci” the Ahlers Pro Arte Foundation presents the work of three artists who illuminate new ways of representing women in art – each through her own unique methods and perspectives.
Dorothy Iannone (1933–2022) and Niki de Saint Phalle (1930–2002) developed powerful, independent visual styles in which themes such as autonomy, the body, and representation play central roles. Their work has frequently been interpreted in the context of feminist discourse, though it cannot be reduced to that alone.
The exhibition is complemented by the works of Sarah Pucci (1902–1996) – mother of Dorothy Iannone and an artist in her own right. Her hand-crafted, bead-adorned objects combine ornamentation and intimacy. They reference forms of expression long dismissed as “decorative” and excluded from the art historical canon. Today, they are increasingly recognized as a unique and subversive contribution to feminist art history.
How can female perspectives in art become visible beyond traditional gender roles and aesthetic norms?
Curated by Talia Kim Walther (Hamburg), this exhibition invites viewers to rediscover the work of three important artists – both in the context of their time and in light of today’s social debates. Through narrative power, vibrant color, and clear intention, Iannone, Saint Phalle, and Pucci intertwine personal experience with social reflection. Their work celebrates diversity, autonomy, and artistic freedom – opening up new perspectives on female forms of expression in art.
Schedule
-
Exhibition opening (Registration not required)
Introduction to the exhibition: Talia Kim Walther, HamburgAdmission: 6:30 pm
Start: 7 pm -
Lecture by Oliver Koerner von Gustorf, Berlin
Admission: 6:30 pm
Start: 7 pm -
Music and Lecture Evening with Prof. Dr. Mirjam Schaub, Berlin, Philippe Barmettler (saxophon), Uta Pape (violin) and Elena Kaßmann (piano)
Admission: 6:30 pm
Start: 7 pm -
Lecture by Dr. Stefan Gronert, Hannover
Admission: 6:30 pm
Start: 7 pm
© 2025 for the works by Dorothy Iannone und Sarah Pucci: The Estate of Dorothy Iannone / Courtesy Air de Paris, Romainville (Grand Paris)
© 2025 for the works by Niki de Saint Phalle: VG Bild-Kunst, Bonn / Niki Charitable Art Foundation / ADAGP, Paris
(from left to right) Dorothy Iannone, Mother and Child (Virgin Mary), 1980, ahlers collection. Sarah Pucci, Untitled, 1970s, ahlers collection. Niki de Saint Phalle, Nana Ballon, 1968, ahlers collection.