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Iris van Herpen – Brooklyn Museum, USA

16 May — 6 Dec 2026

Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses

May 16–December 6, 2026

 

Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses celebrates one of the most forward-thinking fashion designers of her generation. Get tickets now .

A pioneer in the use of new technologies, Van Herpen transcends conventional clothing norms while embracing both traditional couture artisanship and innovative techniques. Ranging from the micro to the macro, the exhibition explores the body’s place in space, its relationship to clothing and its environment, and its future in a rapidly changing world.

More than 140 extraordinary haute couture creations are shown alongside contemporary artworks and designs—by artists including Philip Beesley, Rogan Brown, Casey Curran, Kim Keever, and Nick Knight—as well as scientific artifacts and natural history specimens such as coral, fossils, and skeletons. These accompanying pieces not only are placed in dialogue with Van Herpen’s designs, but also deeply inform and shape her creative process. Rare archival materials and a soundscape by composer Salvador Breed add to this interdisciplinary, multisensory experience.

In this way, the exhibition reveals the experimental spirit that has reshaped 21st-century fashion. Worn by luminaries including Beyoncé, Björk, Cate Blanchett, Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, and Ariana Grande, Van Herpen’s designs draw on biomimicry, fractal geometry and mathematics, and neuroscience, transforming cutting-edge discoveries into sculptural gowns and ethereal fabrics.

Sculpting the Senses takes you on a journey from the ocean’s depths to the universe’s outer reaches. Step inside to explore the fluidity of water, the physics of motion, the perception of sound and light, and nature’s profound interconnectedness.

The Brooklyn Museum stop is the North American debut of this global presentation. Building on our legacy of defining fashion exhibitions, as well as our roots as an institute of both arts and sciences, it marks the first major New York presentation of Van Herpen’s work.

Artists, architects, and designers featured in the exhibition are Agostino Arrivabene, Philip Beesley, Lanny Bergner, Rogan Brown, Katsumata Chieko, the Japanese art collective 目 [Mé], Casey Curran, Wim Delvoye, Tara Donovan, Harold Edgerton, Senju Hiroshi, Kim Keever, Nick Knight, Ferruccio Laviani, Tomáš Libertíny, Courtney Mattison, Ren Ri, Jacques Rougerie, Fujikasa Satoko, David Spriggs, James Turrell, Tim Walker, and Rob Wynne.

Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses is organized by Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris. The Brooklyn Museum presentation is organized by Matthew Yokobosky, Senior Curator of Fashion and Material Culture, with Imani Williford, Curatorial Assistant, Photography, Fashion, and Material Culture.

Sculpting the (Un)Spoken performances are produced by Beatrice Johnson, Senior Exhibition Project Manager.

Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses is co-chaired by Sasha and Edward P. Bass, Sylvana and Adam Durrett, Jordan Roth, Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch, and Amanda and John Waldron.

The Brooklyn Museum is grateful for the generosity of our supporters who brought this exhibition to life.

Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses Exhibition Co-Chairs:
Sasha and Edward P. Bass
Sylvana and Adam Durrett
Jordan Roth
Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch
Amanda and John Waldron

Sponsored by American Express

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