Iris Van Herpen: Sculpting Senses
The Iris Van Herpen: Sculpting Senses exhibition successfully challenges traditional boundaries of art by exploring the innovations of Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen’s practice. The exclusive exhibition shown at GOMA Brisbane, based on an original exhibition by Musee des Arts Decoratifs Paris was curated by Cloe Pitiot and Louise Curtis from Musee des Arts Decoratifs in collaboration with Nina Miall and Jacinta Giles from QAGOMA. The exhibition explores the interconnectedness of creative disciplines, featuring 130 garments and accessories by Van Herpen inspired by the intricacy and beauty of the natural world, accompanied by contemporary artworks and installations, museum specimens, scientific drawings, fine art furniture, film and sound. Its immersive curatorial approach creates an intellectually stimulating experience offering visitors a multifaceted perspective on the intersections between art, technology, and the human experience.
Rather than opting for a chronological layout, the exhibition’s thematic grouping of the designs across different rooms enhances the conception of each of the garments. The nine ‘chapters’ of the exhibit are curated to showcase different facets of the universe that inspired Van Herpen’s designs. Each theme’s leitmotif is established through a unique wall- colour, lighting, spatial arrangement, and eclectic selection of a wide-range of works alongside the garments. For example, the skeletal remains of an Australian Scrub Amethystine Python from the Queensland Museum against the entirely 3D-printed Skeleton dress (2011) in the ‘Skeletal Embodiment’ room and the Japanese art collective Me’s Contact (2019) ocean installation against the multi-layered transparent Hydrozoa dress (2020) in the ‘Water and Dreams’ room demonstrates how Van Herpen draws on diverse disciplines to inform her designs, fostering a dialogue between perception, materiality and inspiration.
Sound and film elements further enrich the exhibition’s sensory appeal, such as Salvador Breed’s hauntingly beautiful soundscape Cosmic Bloom (2023) designed specifically for the exhibit and clips from Tarsem Singh’s Mirror Mirror (2012) that showcase Van Herpen’s designs being worn and moved in. These interdisciplinary collaborations create a cinematic dimension and holistic sensory experience that resonates across the visitor’s visual, auditory, and intellectual experience of Van Herpen’s work.
The incorporation of the artist’s process is a standout feature. The ‘Cabinet of Curiosities’ display sketches, prototypes, and materials used in Van Herpen’s designs and the room with walls adorned with material samples immerses audiences in the meticulous artistry and labour behind her creations. This curatorial choice fosters a greater appreciation for the complexity and innovation involved in her work, providing a rare glimpse into the behind-the- scenes process that transforms abstract ideas into tangible, wearable sculptures.
Iris Van Herpen: Sculpting Senses is a masterfully curated exhibition that pushes the boundaries of traditional art forms. By juxtaposing Van Herpen’s cutting-edge designs with natural, scientific, and cinematic elements, the exhibition creates a rich, immersive environment that inspires viewers to reconsider the relationship between art, science, and the human experience. This curatorial approach succeeds in creating a space where curiosity and creativity thrive, making it an unforgettable celebration of interdisciplinary innovation.