IRIS VAN HERPEN: SCULPTING THE SENSES MAKES ITS NORTH AMERICAN DEBUT AT THE BROOKLYN MUSEUM
Opening May 16, 2026, Brooklyn Museum will present the North American debut of Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses—a landmark exhibition devoted to one of the most influential designers working at the intersection of fashion, art, and science today. On view through December 6, 2026, the exhibition brings together more than 140 haute couture creations alongside contemporary art, design, and scientific artifacts, offering an expansive view of how Iris van Herpen merges traditional craftsmanship with advanced technology, sustainability, and experimental aesthetics.
First presented in 2023 at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, “Sculpting the Senses” has traveled internationally to Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA), Singapore’s ArtScience Museum, and Kunsthal Rotterdam. Its arrival in New York marks Van Herpen’s first major exhibition in the city and continues the Brooklyn Museum’s long-standing tradition of presenting ambitious fashion exhibitions that expand the definition of design as a cultural force.
Van Herpen’s practice is rooted in a fascination with the complexity of nature and the possibilities of science. Drawing from fields as varied as neuroscience, marine biology, paleontology, mycology, astronomy, and mathematics, her designs translate scientific ideas into sculptural garments that echo natural systems—from coral formations and fungal networks to planetary motion. The result is fashion that feels both futuristic and organic, challenging conventional ideas of how clothing relates to the body and the environment.
The exhibition is organized thematically, guiding visitors from the depths of the ocean to the far reaches of the universe. Sections explore water as both material and metaphor, the architecture of the skeleton and anatomy, the physics of movement, and the perception of sound and light. Throughout, Van Herpen’s designs demonstrate a fluid dialogue between structure and motion, with gowns that appear water-like in their sculptural flow and fabrics that seem almost air-bound. An evocation of the designer’s atelier offers insight into the tactile, labor-intensive processes behind couture, foregrounding handcraft alongside technological innovation.
“Sculpting the Senses” places Van Herpen’s work in conversation with contemporary art and design, featuring works by artists such as Philip Beesley, Rogan Brown, Casey Curran, Wim Delvoye, Nick Knight, Tim Walker, and others, alongside design objects and scientific specimens including coral, fossils, and skeletons. This interdisciplinary approach nods to the Brooklyn Museum’s origins as the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, where art and science were historically presented side by side.
The Brooklyn presentation also draws from the museum’s own collections—spanning American, Asian, contemporary, and feminist art—situating Van Herpen within a broader lineage of cross-disciplinary creativity. Additional featured artists include Katsumata Chieko, Tara Donovan, Harold Edgerton, Senju Hiroshi, Fujikasa Satoko, and Rob Wynne. A multisensory soundscape by Dutch composer and producer Salvador Breed further expands the exhibition’s immersive experience.
Born in 1984 and raised in the Dutch village of Wamel, Van Herpen founded her Amsterdam-based maison in 2007. She quickly became known for pushing the boundaries of couture, including presenting the first 3D-printed dress on the runway with her 2010 “Crystallization” collection. Her designs have since been worn by figures across fashion, music, and performance, reinforcing her influence on contemporary visual culture.
Timed to coincide with the Brooklyn Museum’s annual Brooklyn Artists Ball—where Van Herpen will be honored—the exhibition underscores the institution’s ongoing commitment to celebrating pioneering women in art and design. It follows a lineage of major fashion exhibitions at the museum, including shows dedicated to designers such as Elsa Schiaparelli, Jean Paul Gaultier, Christian Dior, and Thierry Mugler.
