At the border between Tuscany and Lazio lies an extraordinary destination begging to be explored. The Tarot Garden stands as one of Italy’s most significant expressions of environmental art, a park of unparalleled allure where sculptures engage in a harmonious dialogue with nature. Nestled amidst the enchanting landscapes of Maremma, towering sculptures, reaching heights of 12 to 15 meters, pay homage to the symbolic richness of tarot imagery. It’s a place suspended between the realms of reverie and reality, capturing the essence of the 22 major arcana of the tarot deck.
Encompassing approximately two hectares, the Tarot Garden unfolds as a genuine open-air museum seamlessly integrated into the undulating terrain of Maremma. Arguably the crowning achievement of the Franco-American artist Niki de Saint Phalle, who dedicated her creative efforts to the garden’s realization from 1979 until 1996.
Owing to its distinctive character and in reverence to preserving the garden’s magical ambiance, visits are typically permitted from April through October, accommodating only a limited number of guests. Moreover, following the artist’s wishes, guided tours and predefined itineraries are eschewed: it’s a place transcending conventions, inviting visitors to immerse themselves in the captivating beauty of the landscape and the vibrant hues of the sculptures.
17 Years of Work
Drawing inspiration from Antoni Gaudí’s Parque Güell in Barcelona and the mystical allure of the Garden of Bomarzo, Niki de Saint Phalle embarked on the ambitious journey of constructing the Tarot Garden in 1979. For Niki, this garden symbolized the culmination of her life’s magical and spiritual aspirations, leading her to dedicate over 17 years to crafting its 22 imposing figures – majestic structures fashioned from steel and concrete, adorned with a kaleidoscope of glass, mirrors, and vibrant ceramics.
In her artistic odyssey, Niki was accompanied by a distinguished ensemble of contemporary art luminaries, including Rico Weber, Sepp Imhof, Paul Wiedmer, Dok van Winsen, Pierre Marie, and Isabelle Le Jeune. Notably, her husband Jean Tinguely contributed his ingenuity, fashioning the metal skeletons of the colossal sculptures and ingeniously integrating mechanical elements, breathing life into some with his signature kinetic sculptures.
Ricardo Menon, a trusted friend and personal assistant, alongside Venera Finocchiaro, a talented ceramist from Rome, lent their expertise to the project. Guided by Niki’s vision, they labored tirelessly to bring her fantastical creations to life. The architectural brilliance of Mario Botta, in collaboration with Roberto Aureli, manifested in the grand entrance pavilion – a formidable wall pierced by a singular circular portal, a symbolic threshold separating the Garden from the mundane world.
Completed in the summer of 1996, the realization of the Tarot Garden demanded a substantial investment of approximately 10 billion lire, entirely self-financed by the indomitable spirit of its creator. On May 15th, 1998, the Tarot Garden was opened to the public, although not finished. Indeed, some interventions remained incomplete and a statue was left unfinished, due to the respiratory illness that claimed the artist’s life in 2002, honoring her wish not to complete parts she had not finished herself.
A Masterpiece of Contemporary Art
The sculptures inspired by the major arcana of the Tarot, rich in symbolic and esoteric meanings, represent the culmination of an artistic journey that Niki de Saint Phalle embarked on in the mid-1960s, after leaving behind Nouveau Réalisme and polymeric assemblages to create the so-called Nanas – enormous, sinuous, inhabitable female figures. The first of these sculptures (The Hon, Swedish for “she”) was created in 1966 for the Museum of Stockholm, while the most famous one (The Tête) was completed in 1973 in the forest of Milly-la-Forêt, France, and declared a national monument by President Mitterrand.
In the vibrant hues that echo the bold strokes of Matisse, the cubist complexity of Picasso, and the transcendental compositions of Kandinsky, the sculptures of the Tarot Garden captivate the attention of visitors who, far from traversing an amusement park, embark on a sort of initiatory journey reminiscent of illustrious predecessors such as Park of Monsters, Ferdinand Cheval’s Ideal Palace in Drome, Gaudí’s Park Güell, and Simon Rodia’s Watts Towers in Los Angeles.
The Garden is currently managed by a private foundation that, through proceeds, covers the constant maintenance the park requires. A leisurely visit typically takes about two hours. Of course, if one wishes to appreciate the details of the artworks, enjoy the panorama, and immerse oneself in nature, time expands. Usually, the Garden is open from April to October, every day. For those eager to embark on this transcendent journey, detailed information and ticket prices await on the Tarot Garden Foundation’s official website.
Where to Find the Tarot Garden
The Tarot Garden is located in the area of Garavicchio, near Pescia Fiorentina, a hamlet of Capalbio, in Tuscany.