The cosmopolitan Niki de Saint Phalle felt at home as an artist all over the world. However, she had a particularly special relationship with Switzerland: not only her long-term relationship with Jean Tinguely but also her connections with other Swiss artists shaped her work. The focus of this publication is the extraordinary life of the artist couple, with special reference to the time spent in Switzerland. Niki's first exhibition took place in 1956 in St. Gallen, and the major retrospective at the Musée d'art et d'histoire in Fribourg was held in 1993/94. The generous donations from the artist, as well as her tireless commitment to the work of Jean Tinguely, led to the opening of the "Espace Jean Tinguely - Niki de Saint Phalle" in Fribourg in 1998. Through further acquisitions and donations, the collection of this institution primarily focuses on the theme of the "Nouveaux Réalistes.".