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Twins Craft Wild Worlds of Art & Design
22 Apr
Summary
- Artistic twins Simon and Nikolai Haas create fantastical, witty, and wild designs.
- A midcareer survey of their work is touring museums across the United States.
- Their creations often blur the lines between functional design and art pieces.
Fraternal twins Simon and Nikolai Haas, prominent figures on the design scene for 15 years, are showcasing their unique creations in a touring midcareer survey. Their work, characterized by a blend of fantasy, wit, and wildness, often blurs the lines between functional design objects and art pieces. The exhibition, "Haas Brothers: Uncanny Valley," originated at the Cranbrook Art Museum and is now on display at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York.
The brothers draw inspiration from their creative upbringing and a childhood immersed in nature, which is evident in their intricate depictions of flora and fauna. They employ innovative techniques, such as a system for creating repeatable beaded shapes, which has been used in their monumental work, "The Persimmon Tree." This piece, standing 30 feet wide and 26 feet tall, is composed of three million antique glass beads.
Notable pieces featured in the exhibition include "Centurihanna," a sculpture combining their interest in nature with celebrity homage, and "Mary Tyler Spore," a bronze and glass bead mushroom sculpture that playfully skirts functional design rules. Their creations, like the ottoman "Fleece-a-Kudrow," often feature anthropomorphic elements and intentional ambiguities, inviting viewers to engage and fill in their own interpretations.
