Exploring the Untold Story of Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely

Commissioned by Ursula magazine in collaboration with Hauser & Wirth Somerset’s current exhibition Myths & Machines, 'Sacred Monsters' delves into the extraordinary artistic and personal partnership between Niki de Saint Phalle and Jean Tinguely. The film is currently being screened as part of the exhibition at Hauser & Wirth Somerset.

Directed by Octopus Inc’s Olly Bharat and shot on location across Italy, France, and Switzerland – and partly captured on 16mm film – the documentary retraces the footsteps of this creative duo through two of their most iconic works: the sprawling Tarot Garden in Tuscany and the monumental Le Cyclop sculpture just outside Paris. The film’s intimate tone is further grounded by the voice of Niki’s granddaughter, Bloum Cardenas, offering rare personal insight into their shared vision.

Blurring the boundaries between myth and machine, Sacred Monsters weaves archival references with newly shot material to evoke the scale, chaos, and profound emotion of a world fuelled by wild creativity and unrelenting ambition. It’s an ode to a partnership that defied logic, convention, and often gravity itself.

This poetic visual essay is both a standalone film and an integral part of Hauser & Wirth’s wider storytelling universe, complementing the Myths & Machines exhibition, which re-examines the legacy of both artists and their radical approach to making.

“The title ‘Sacred Monsters’ came from something Bloum said about her grandparents. I loved how honest she was about who her grandmother really was, there was no sugar-coating,” said director, Olly Bharat. “That kind of openness really shaped the tone of the film. We shot in the apartment where she used to spend Christmas mornings with Niki, and she grew up exploring the Tarot Garden, so there was this beautiful thread of memory running through it all.

The toughest part was the archive footage. We were up against a tight deadline to deliver the film to Somerset, and clearing everything in time was a challenge. But I knew those clips would give the piece another layer and help mirror the tone of what we’d shot.

I guess one of the ongoing challenges was working with artists who’ve passed. You’re dealing with estates or family, and there’s a pressure to respect their legacy properly, while still bringing your own creativity to it. It’s a fine balance, but a really important one.”

Olly Bharat continued, “We made this film with the smallest team: I was directing and shooting, our producer was also editing, and we had a different soundie in each country. We’ve been close since high school, art school housemates, so it felt more like a creative collaboration than a job.

There were interviews I really hoped to get, Céline Sallette and Charlotte Le Bon, but between budget and timing, they slipped through. In the end, that helped me refocus on the material I had, and kept the film more personal. I think it’s stronger for it.”

For enquiries or to explore collaborations with Olly Bharat, please reach out to Beth Montague beth@octopus.inc