Missouri Botanical Garden - Niki 2008

On Guide: n15 Sculpture: La Cabeza Location: Lehmann Rose Garden This six-ton smiling skull was inspired by a trip Niki made to Mexico in the late 1970s. She liked the cheerful way in which Mexicans deal with the subject of death. The Mexican tradition of the Day of the Dead seems to inform La Cabeza as a face of death that is both festive and contemplative. It pulls viewers in as it reflects life back. The piece is an inventory of the materials Niki used, from mother of pearl, to geometric mirrored glass, to the translucent round glass pieces that she called M&M's. This skull is fully interactive and easily accessible. Go inside to look around or have a seat in its domed meditation room, with its blue sky and moon.