Dutch fashion designer Iris van Herpen finds beauty in the diverse materiality of the natural world. A belief in biomimicry — the idea that nature and its forms are a primary source of inspiration and innovation for all kinds of human endeavour — underpins van Herpen’s aesthetic. In the complexity of nature’s often overlooked structures, van Herpen finds an endlessly rich vocabulary for her own designs.
‘Matter is creation, it’s evolution, it’s nature, it’s us. It’s the source of all energy & the source of all our questions. I am fascinated by matter in all her shapes & all her mysteries’. Iris van Herpen
‘Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses’ at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) until 7 October 2024 reveals how van Herpen combines traditional craftsmanship with innovative technologies to create iconic designs that draw inspiration from the depths of the ocean, the mysteries of the universe, the regenerative forms of nature, and our bodies in movement.
The exhibition ‘Sculpting the Senses’ brings van Herpen’s designs into conversation with contemporary artworks, natural history specimens and rare manuscripts to explore a myriad of influences. Here we delve into works by Ernst Haeckel, Rogan Brown, Ren Ri, Anne Noble, and Cai Guo-Qiang.
The illustrations of flora, fauna and marine life by the nineteenth-century German naturalist Ernst Haeckel (1834–1919) in the manuscript Kunstformen der Natur (Artforms in Nature) 1899–1904 (illustrated) were a formative influence on van Herpen, encouraging the exploration of the creative forces at work in the natural world. They gave rise to the microscopic focus of the ‘Micro’ and ‘Hybrid Holism’ collections of 2012, in which the garments appeared to contain tiny worlds within themselves, their designs informed by the honeycomb geometries of a beehive, or the flailing tentacles of a sea anemone. The Anemone dress, from the ‘Micro’ collection (illustrated) was worn by Björk performing her album Biophilia in Paris, 2013
Iris van Herpen ‘Anemone’ dress, from the ‘Micro’ collection 2012
Ernst Haeckel spent his life studying flora and fauna which he captured in vividly coloured and highly stylised drawings. Haeckel’s most famous publication is his multi-volume series Kunstformen der Natur (Artforms in Nature) 1899–1904 (detail illustrated), a portfolio of hundreds of highly detailed illustrations widely acknowledged as a visual encyclopedia of living things. It not only influenced scientific research, but also inspired much art, design and architecture of the early twentieth century, and continues to be an important referent for artists and designers, such as van Herpen.
Ernst Haeckel’s manuscript was a formative influence on Iris van Herpen
Ernst Haeckel ‘Kunstformen der Natur (Artforms in Nature)’ 1899–1904
Ernst Haeckel, Germany 1834–1919 / Kunstformen der Natur (Artforms in Nature) (detail) 1899–1904 / Illustrated manuscript / Collection: State Library of Victoria, Melbourne / View full image
Ernst Haeckel, Germany 1834–1919 / Kunstformen der Natur (Artforms in Nature) (detail) 1899–1904 / Illustrated manuscript / Collection: State Library of Victoria, Melbourne / View full image
Iris van Herpen ‘Henosis’ dress’ 2021
Iris van Herpen’s Henosis dress evokes the world of fungi and their underground networks. Translucent layers of white lace have been heat-bonded to laser-cut ‘seeds’ and ‘spores’ that sprout outwards from the hand-embroidered bodice and skirt. The spouting seeds interact as the body moves, highlighting the idea that all living things are interconnected in a delicately fine balance. Casey Curran’s kinetic crown reflects the spouting spores on the bodice of the garment and, in a sense, completes this Henosis ecosystem.
In recent years, van Herpen’s deep concern for the environment has found expression through her use of recycled materials and sustainable practices. A collaboration with British artist Rogan Brown and environmental organisation Parley for the Oceans, the Empyrean dress and gown and Magnetosphere dress, from the ‘Earthrise’ collection 2021 (illustrated) — involve the translation of papercuts evoking the invisible world of cells, bacteria and viruses, as viewed under a microscope, into incredibly complex and otherworldly garments.
Taking over 640 hours to complete, the Magnetosphere dress’s delicate vegetal forms are constructed from multiple layers of laser-cut lace made from upcycled ocean plastic and coastal debris. These layers are individually stitched to fluidly encircle the bodice, echoing Brown’s intricate papercut artworks, and embodying the cycle of life. Reflecting van Herpen’s desire to live in symbiosis with nature, the dress is also a celebration of the transformation of waste materials into avant-garde, but sustainable, haute couture.
Like van Herpen, Brown is inspired by scientific images and direct observations of nature, using the centuries-old technique of papercutting to ‘sculpt’ organic forms from paper and card. The infinitely small is brought into focus in the exquisite precision of his pieces, which seek to convey the intricate complexity and diversity of the living world. Combining art and science, Brown’s pieces open us up to the invisible worlds that surround us. He chooses to work with paper as it ‘embodies the paradoxical qualities that we see in nature: its fragility and durability, its strength and delicacy’.
Chinese artist Ren Ri is renowned for his work with bees, one of nature’s most important and industrious creatures. After working with the insects for over a decade, he created several series of artworks focused on bees and the way they construct their hives.
In this work, Ren has situated the queen bee in the middle of an acrylic box, while the worker bees build a hive around her. Every seven days — a reference to the Christian God creating the world in seven days — the artist rolls a die to decide how he will change the position of the structure to influence the bees’ logic as they build. This random act creates a beehive that is both ordered (each hexagonal cell) and chaotic (an abstract honeycomb). It is this concept of order versus chaos that interests van Herpen in her own creative practice.
Concept of order versus chaos interests Iris van Herpen & Ren Ri
The bee is essential to the life cycle of flowers and the agricultural systems that sustain human life. Anne Noble used microscopic photography to create her ghostly monochromatic images, in which even the finest hair on the insect’s body is delineated. To be visible to the electronic beam, the bees were dusted in gold, revealing battered wings and antennae under the enormous magnification.
An insect universally revered in myth, religion, literature and science, Noble stimulates awareness of a species whose existence is today threatened by pests, chemicals, disease and the effects of climate change. Like van Herpen’s creations, Noble’s Dead Bee Portraits create dialogues between art and science.
Iris van Herpen & Anne Noble create dialogues between art & science
Linking humankind and the cosmos, fire is both a creative and a destructive force. Chinese artist Cai Guo-Qiang captures this duality in his work that traces detonated gunpowder charges on paper, leaving a residue of scorch marks.
Inspired by commonalities between the stories of the Rainbow Serpent from the Dreamtime and the mythology of the Chinese Dragon, the drawing recalls the calligraphic form of traditional Chinese ink painting, which delicately balances the contradictory tensions of control and spontaneity.
Iris van Herpen & Cai Guo-Qiang share an interest in the elements of the universe
Watch | Haute couture garments in ‘Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses’
‘Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses’ / Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) Brisbane / 29 June to 7 October 2024, across the ground floor in The Fairfax Gallery (1.1), Gallery 1.2, and the Eric and Marion Taylor Gallery (1.3).
The exhibition is co-organised by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris and QAGOMA, Brisbane, based on an original exhibition designed by the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris.
