Monstre du Loch Ness, Work of art in Nice, France

Monstre du Loch Ness is a tall outdoor sculpture by Niki de Saint Phalle standing on the esplanade near the MAMAC in Nice. Its curved neck and rounded head are covered in small silver mirror tiles, with one blue spherical eye, jagged yellow teeth, and black spikes running down its back, all set above four sturdy legs at the edge of a shallow pool.

The piece was made in 1993 as part of a series called Wounded Animals, through which Niki de Saint Phalle drew attention to harm done to wildlife. It entered the MAMAC collection in 2001, was removed from the square for three years for restoration, then returned to nearly the same spot in October 2025.

Locals treat the creature as a familiar guardian of the museum entrance, often calling it “the dragon” and stopping to watch how its mirror-covered body reflects passersby. The artist made such figures to be open and approachable, so people naturally gather around it and photograph their own reflections beside the colored eye and teeth.

The sculpture is placed in an open public square, so you can walk around it freely at any hour to see how the mirrored tiles pick up the changing light. From the pool edge, the best views of its face and back are from slightly to the side rather than straight ahead.

The creature was originally designed to work as a fountain, with water released from its open mouth. After restoration, a system to produce steam from the same mouth was also considered, so its breath may sometimes change from a stream of water to a soft cloud.