Jean Tinguely — Mixed Media Collage

Jean Tinguely (1925–1991) was one of the most radical and beloved artists of the twentieth century. Born in Fribourg and raised in Basel, he became a central figure of the European avant-garde whose kinetic sculptures — clattering, whirring, self-destructing machines built from scrap metal and industrial debris — challenged every convention of what art could be. His legendary 'Homage to New York' (1960), a self-destroying machine that spectacularly collapsed in the garden of the Museum of Modern Art, remains one of the most iconic moments in post-war art history. Together with his wife Niki de Saint Phalle, he created the Stravinsky Fountain beside the Centre Pompidou in Paris, a joyful explosion of water, colour, and movement that delights millions of visitors each year. Today, the Museum Tinguely in Basel, designed by Mario Botta, stands as a permanent monument to his genius.

This unique mixed-media collage is a rare example of Tinguely's work on paper — a medium in which his restless creative energy finds perhaps its most intimate expression. Gouache, ink, paper cut-outs, and printed fragments swirl across the surface in a composition that captures the same anarchic joy as his monumental machine sculptures, but on a deeply personal scale. Typographic elements, fragments of roses, and bursts of turquoise and green create a visual symphony of controlled chaos.

What makes this work extraordinary is its provenance: it was created as a personal gift for a player of FC Basel, the football club that was close to Tinguely's heart throughout his life. Basel was not merely where Tinguely grew up — it was the city that shaped his artistic identity, from his early encounters with Kurt Schwitters' Merz collages to his lifelong friendships in the Basel art world. This collage is therefore not just a work of art; it is a gesture of friendship, a piece of Basel's cultural soul.

Provenance & Details