The imaginative, strange childhood dreams of twins Nikolai and Simon Haas have materialized in a sweeping, large-scale exhibition currently captivating visitors at the Blanton Museum of Art. Working collaboratively since 2010 under the moniker the Haas Brothers, the Los Angeles-based siblings have earned international acclaim for their fantastical sculptures of flora and fauna, rendered with their signature cheeky and surreal twist. In Austin, Texas, the artists are presenting an expansive range of figurative furniture, plush cartoonish characters, and brilliantly illuminated installations that collectively showcase their distinct, idiosyncratic aesthetic.
Previously on view at both the Cranbrook Art Museum and the Museum of Art and Design in New York, Uncanny Valley marks the first comprehensive mid-career survey for the dynamic artistic duo. The exhibition presents a wide-ranging selection of their quirky, genre-defying works, pushing the boundaries of traditional sculpture, design, and craftsmanship. Beyond its aesthetic achievements, the exhibition holds deep personal significance, serving as a subtle nod to the brothers’ formative childhood years in Austin. Having lived in the Texas capital from the age of 3 until they were 19, the twins grew up during an era when the city’s unofficial slogan—"Keep Austin Weird"—transitioned from a quirky local saying into a deeply embedded cultural ethos and an early, enduring influence on their creative perspectives.
Deeply interested in technology and its broader implications for contemporary society, the artists frequently engage with the strange, often unsettling intersection of the artificial and the natural. The duo’s brilliant and bizarre "moonlight" strawberry tree, for instance, appears as if it has been mysteriously transplanted from another planet directly onto the museum floor, challenging viewers to rethink their relationship with the natural world through a synthetic lens. In an artist statement prepared for the exhibition, Simon Haas elaborates on the philosophical framework underpinning much of their work over the past decade and a half.
"The ‘uncanny valley’ generally refers to robotics, where empathy for a robot increases the more human you make it—up to a point," Simon explains in the statement. "When the robot becomes too human, empathy switches to revulsion. The solution for this is to add cuteness: when a robot is humanoid with an extra dose of cuteness, empathy for the object skyrockets. Looking at our 15-year career from a bird’s-eye view, the ‘uncanny valley’ came into focus as a core theme."
This intellectual exploration of comfort and discomfort, attraction and repulsion, runs through every corner of the exhibition. The gallery spaces are populated by creatures that seem simultaneously familiar and entirely alien, blurring the lines between plush toys, high-end design objects, and fine art sculpture. Visitors wandering through the galleries encounter meticulously crafted seating that mimics biological forms, vibrant color palettes that evoke childhood wonder, and lighting design that transforms the museum environment into an immersive, dreamlike landscape.
The exhibition captures the evolution of Nikolai and Simon Haas as they have refined their collaborative practice over the last 15 years. Their journey from imaginative children absorbing the eclectic culture of Austin to internationally recognized artists operating at the forefront of contemporary sculpture and design is laid bare across the museum galleries. By combining high-end craftsmanship with playful, irreverent humor, the brothers create an environment where high art and accessible pop culture seamlessly intertwine.
Uncanny Valley is currently on view at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin through January 17, after which it will travel to its final exhibition location, the Mint Museum in Charleston. For those wishing to delve deeper into the visual universe of the artists, an accompanying monograph sharing the title of the exhibition is currently available for purchase through Bookshop.
