1. Sølve Sundsbø for Iris van Herpen. Haut Hypersonic Speed. Collection Capriole. 2018. Private collection Iris van Herpen
Iris Van Herpen sculpt her senses in the exhibition space of the MAD
From November 29, 2023, to April 28, 2024, the Museum of Decorative Arts hosts the captivating exhibition "Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses," honoring the Dutch fashion designer, Iris van Herpen.
Born on June 5, 1984, van Herpen ventured into the world of fashion after studying at the Artez Institute of Arts in Arnhem and gaining experience at Alexander McQueen and Claudy Jongstra.
Launching her eponymous line in 2007, she made her debut at Fashion Week in the Netherlands at the age of twenty-three. Four years later, van Herpen obtained the title of "guest member" of the Chambre syndicale de la haute couture.
Renowned for her 3D creations and use of innovative materials, van Herpen's artistic legacy continues to inspire and redefine the boundaries of fashion.
Iris, her life and projects
2. Iris van Herpen, Bustier "Arachne", collection "Meta Morphism" 2022, Soie de polyester, mylar, tulle, cristaux Swarovski, acier inoxydable, Collection Iris van Herpen © Dominique Maitre
Born on June 5, 1984, Iris van Herpen emerged as a pioneering force of contemporary fashion. Her journey began with a fascination for the arts, due to the practice of her mother. While preparing for the Artez Arts Institute competition in Arnhem, she transitioned her interests towards fashion design, graduating from the prestigious institution's "fashion design" program in 2006.
Van Herpen further honed her craft through a stint at Alexander McQueen's atelier in 2005, immersing herself in the avant-garde world of English fashion.
Upon her return to the Netherlands, she embarked on a trajectory for innovation and creativity. Working with Claudy Jongstra, she unveiled her eponymous brand in Amsterdam in 2007. With each collection, van Herpen has an obsession for 3D creations and groundbreaking use of materials.
Renowned figures such as Björk, Lady Gaga, Beyoncé, and Daphne Guinness adorned themselves in van Herpen's visionary creations, each piece a testament to her artistic prowess.
Van Herpen and the MAD
The exhibition of Iris Van Herpen at the MAD presents an exhibit, not only of her works and her preparation drawings, but also of her inspiration, and artist who inspired her such as Philip Beesley, du Collectif Mé, Wim Delvoye, Rogan Brown, Kate MccGwire, Damien Jalet, Kohei Nawa, Casey Curran, Jacques Rougerie, etc.
The layout of the show is divided into numerous sections, as follow.
1 - Water and Dreams
Liquid, solid, and gaseous states of water emerge in Iris van Herpen's creations, taking stage in her "Crystallization" collection in 2010. As a fundamental element of the human body, water transcends her attire, symbolizing the intangible essence that defines us.
Water flows through her designs in various forms: foam, crystallized liquid, and waves, inspiring the designer imagination. Employing diverse materials and techniques, from blown glass to thermoformed plexiglass, and from laser cutting to Suminagashi, a Japanese marbled ink method.
2 - Life of the deep
Below the ocean's surface lies a hidden and imperceptible planet's ecosystem. In 2020, with her "Sensory Seas" collection, Iris van Herpen explores this underwater world, drawing inspiration from its diverse ecosystem, including and large marine creatures, to imbue her dresses with distinctive lines and textures.
Unicellular life forms and the hydrozoan family (such as jellyfish), serve as enduring inspiration for the designer. Much like the master glassmakers Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka of the 19th century who unveiled the hidden depths of the ocean through their remarkable educational models, Iris van Herpen employs similar subjects, skillfully blending traditional craftsmanship with cutting-edge technologies to elevate them into the realm of haute couture.
3 - The Dynamics of Existence
Driven by her fascination with natural forms, Iris van Herpen delves into the primal forces that underpin life's origins. Delving into the infinite small, her passion is ignited by the intricate illustrations of biologist Ernst Haeckel, whose 19th-century plates brought microscopic life into focus.
Her environmental consciousness drives her to redefine our perception of the world, exemplified in her "Earthrise" collection, a collaboration with artist Rogan Brown, where she elevates recycled plastic to new heights of magnificence.
4 - The Embodied Skeleton
Iris van Herpen draws abundant inspiration from cabinets of curiosities and anatomy galleries, where the fusion of art and science ignites her creative process.
Much like Michelangelo or Jean-Antoine Houdon, who meticulously studied skinned anatomical figures, van Herpen delves into skeletons, muscles, tissues, fascia, and networks to fashion.
By blurring the lines between the animate and the inanimate, Iris van Herpen breathes life back into silhouettes, transforming clothing into a mutation of complex anatomy, an expanding embodiment.
3. Ferruccio Laviani, "Gothik-A-Cabinet", 2022, Chêne, verre, © Les Arts Décoratifs / Christophe Dellière
5 - The Energetics of Constructs
Iris van Herpen delves into the essence of various structures, whether natural or artificial, organic or architectural. Thus, she views the body as an integral component of a larger whole, intertwined with its physicality, spirit, and soul.
Drawing inspiration from life's unique intricacies, she uncovers ecosystems, growth processes, and interconnections.
Her collections, such as "Roots of Rebirth," pay homage to this subtle and subterranean organic network. In a vibrant tribute to the Gothic aesthetic, her Cathedral Dress reimagines conventional clothing codes, celebrating the flamboyance of nature's design.
6 - Synesthetic Sensibilities
Her intrigue extends to the realm of the brain, particularly to phenomena like synesthesia or the complex states of consciousness such as lucid dreaming and hypnosis. This fascination allows her to transcend the conventional boundaries of fashion, moving beyond visual perception or the tactile experience of clothing.
How might one blur the boundaries of perception? How can the brain be stimulated through the amalgamation of the five senses, fostering a novel emotional journey? These questions drive her exploration into the depths of sensory perception and emotional response.
7 - The Alchemy of Creation
Iris van Herpen's creative journey unfolds amidst the serene ambiance of her studio in Amsterdam, nestled within an old warehouse overlooking the river. Termed as "craftolution," her approach thrives on the symbiosis between traditional craftsmanship and cutting-edge technologies, propelling haute couture towards a visionary future.
Van Herpen pioneers sustainable and conscientious alternatives through her multidisciplinary methodology, reimagining manufacturing processes and collaborating with a myriad of experts, including Philip Beesley and the Living Architecture Systems Group, Neri Oxman and Studio Drift, and Rogan Brown and Kim Keever.
8 - Shadowy Mythology
Hailing from the village of Wamel, situated near Den Bosch, the hometown of Flemish painter Hieronymus Bosch, Iris van Herpen was immersed in the artist's fantastical realm from an early age.
Delving into a milieu steeped in alchemy, mysticism and allegory, she retains a penchant for hybridization and an inclination towards exploring the abundance of both animal and human nature, seamlessly merging them into chimeric beings.
9 - New Nature
By presenting visions of an imagined tomorrow, the designer primarily challenges the boundaries between nature and artifice in a society increasingly captivated by the expanding realm of the virtual. Investigating the physical presence of the human form within a post-human landscape, van Herpen beckons us to contemplate a society undergoing profound inversion.
10 - Celestial Expedition
From the ancient maps of Andreas Cellarius to the celestial vistas captured by the James Webb telescope, she delves into the cosmos and her imagination.
The universe transforms into a unified entity beyond the confines of planet Earth, expanding not merely upward or downward, but across all dimensions, akin to a multiverse with boundaries only constrained by the mind's boundless imagination and the soul's cosmic voyages.
Informations about the exhibition
Place: MAD
Date: 29.11.2023 – 28.4.2024
Curators: Cloé Pitiot, Louise Curtis, Mathurin Donchères and Joffrey Picq
Ticket: Available at the front desk of the museum
Informations about the MAD
MAD
107 rue de Rivoli
75 001 Paris
Phone: +33 (0)1 44 55 57 50