The Brooklyn Museum has opened "Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses," a major exhibition surveying two decades of the Dutch designer's avant-garde fashion. Curated by Matthew Yokobosky and Imani Williford, the show features over 140 of van Herpen's biomorphic couture pieces, including designs worn by Lady Gaga and Björk, alongside works by contemporary artists like Agostino Arrivabene and Tara Donovan. The exhibition, which originated at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris in 2023, highlights van Herpen's use of cutting-edge technology such as 3D printing and magnetic sculpting, as well as her deep inspiration from natural phenomena like fossils, coral, and water.
The exhibition matters because it positions van Herpen as a transformative figure who bridges fashion, art, and science, challenging traditional boundaries between these fields. Her work, which incorporates advanced fabrication methods and a philosophical engagement with nature and human ephemerality, offers a counterpoint to fast fashion and conventional couture. By pairing her garments with fine art and natural history specimens, the show underscores how van Herpen's practice redefines fashion as a medium for artistic and existential inquiry, making it relevant to broader conversations about creativity, sustainability, and technology in the visual arts.