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Painting Made by Dancing
© 2026 Niki Charitable Art Foundation/Bildupphovsrätt © Robert Rauschenberg/Untitled Press, Inc./Bildupphovsrätt 2026
Painting Made by Dancing
Painting Made by Dancing
Photo: Albin Dahlström/Moderna Museet

Painting Made by Dancing

by Niki de Saint Phalle
by Robert Rauschenberg
Artist (Frankrike, 1930 - 2002)
Artist (USA, 1925 - 2008)
Alternate Title
  • Målning gjord genom dans
Date1961
MediumAcrylic paint on canvas
DimensionsBildmått: 207 × 413,5 cm
Classification
Credit LineDonation 2005 från Pontus Hultén
Object NumberMOM/2005/592
CollectionsThe Pontus Hultén Collection
The artwork is not on display
About the artworkThe painting was created on the evening of the opening party for the exhibition Movement in Art, at Moderna Museet in 1961. Niki de Saint Phalle had found an enormous, beige canvas which was spread out on the floor of the Arena Theatre in Stockholm where the opening party was held. On the reverse side of the canvas, she had attached hundreds of small plastic bags filled with paint. A plastic sheet and a carpet were spread over the canvas, so as the guests danced the paint was smeared out. The painting is akin to Niki de Saint Phalle's shoot paintings but is also a playful commentary on the theme of the exhibition: movement in art. When the party was over, Billy Klüver and Robert Rauschenberg spread the painting across the road to Djurgården so tracks were left on it by the cars. Signatures, inscriptions and marks Signerat och daterat på konstverkets framsida i nedre höger hörn: "Rauschenberg 61" Selected exhibition history Explosion (den 2 juni 2012 - den 9 september 2012) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Pontus Hulténs samling (2004) Moderna Museet, Stockholm Sju rum och en trädgård. Rashid Johnson och Moderna Museets samling (den 28 september 2023 - den 22 september 2024) Moderna Museet, Stockholm The Moderna Museet exhibition catalogues Explosion! Måleri som handling / Painting as Action : [Moderna Museet 2/6-9/9 2012]Pontus Hulténs samling Bibliography Pontus Hulten: artisti da una collezione; Milano, Skira 2006 [utställningskatalog: Venezia, Instituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere ed Arti, Palazzo Cavalli Franchetti, 5 marzo - 9 luglio 2006; Con la collaborazione di Moderna Museet], s. 88-89. Pontus Hulténs samling..., red. Iris Müller-Westermann, Nathalie Meneau, Teresa Hahr, Margareta Helleberg, Moderna Museets utställningskatalog nr 321, Stockholm, 2004,s. 264-265. Moderna Museet 1958-1983, red. Olle Granath, Monika Nieckels, Stockholm, 1983, s. 143-150.