Niki de Saint Phalle embodied the art of self-reinvention. Fate led her to the West Coast in the sixties as the site of her last incarnation, where she brought her practice—which has historically been misrepresented—to sublime heights up to her passing in 2002. Across the deserts of San Diego and Las Vegas and the hills of Malibu, the Franco-American artist produced exuberant, monumental works with a signature vitality that set her apart from her Nouveau Réalisme male contemporaries. Through Saint Phalle’s oeuvre and conversations with her inner circle, Yann Perreau examines the draw of the region, her personal challenges, and a timely renewed interest in her work.