The imaginative, strange childhood dreams of twin artists Nikolai and Simon Haas have materialized in a striking, large-scale exhibition currently captivating visitors at the Blanton Museum of Art. Working collectively as the Haas Brothers, the Los Angeles-based siblings have been collaborating since 2010, establishing an international reputation for their fantastical sculptures of flora and fauna. Characterized by a signature cheeky and surreal twist, their multidisciplinary practice bridges the gap between high art, design, and playful absurdity. In their latest exhibition in Austin, Texas, the duo presents an eclectic range of figurative furniture, plush cartoonish characters, and glowing, illuminated installations that proudly showcase their fiercely idiosyncratic aesthetic.
Titled Uncanny Valley, the exhibition represents the first comprehensive mid-career survey for the dynamic duo. Before its current run at the Blanton Museum of Art, the exhibition was previously on view at the Cranbrook Art Museum and the Museum of Art and Design in New York, drawing critical acclaim for its presentation of quirky, genre-defying works. For the Haas brothers, however, this stop in Austin holds a particularly profound personal significance. The city served as the backdrop for their formative years, where they lived from the age of three until they turned 19. During that critical developmental window, Austin was defined by its iconic cultural ethos and unofficial municipal slogan, "Keep Austin Weird"—a mindset that would ultimately become an early and enduring influence on their creative worldview.
Throughout their decade-and-a-half-long collaboration, the brothers have maintained a deep fascination with technology and its multifaceted implications for contemporary society. Their works frequently engage with the strange, often unsettling intersection where the artificial meets the natural. This dynamic is vividly illustrated by pieces like their brilliant and bizarre "strawberry tree," an otherworldly creation that appears as though it has been plucked straight from an alien planet and unceremoniously transplanted onto the museum gallery floor.
The concept behind the exhibition is rooted deeply in the psychological phenomenon from which it takes its name. In a comprehensive statement prepared for the show, Simon Haas elaborated on the thematic foundation driving their body of work:
"The ‘uncanny valley’ generally refers to robotics, where empathy for a robot increases the more human you make it—up to a point. 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 delicate tension between the comforting warmth of anthropomorphic cuteness and the unsettling chill of the artificial runs through every gallery space of the exhibition. Visitors encounter soft, tactile surfaces paired with bizarre anatomical structures, and utilitarian objects like chairs and stools transformed into living, breathing entities equipped with exaggerated features, such as a striking red, alien-like stool featuring a prominent tongue poking out. By blending fine art craftsmanship with accessible, cartoonish whimsy, the Haas Brothers invite viewers to question their own emotional responses to manufactured objects and the natural world alike.
Art enthusiasts and local culture lovers in Texas have a limited window to experience the whimsical environments crafted by the siblings. Uncanny Valley is scheduled to remain on view at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin through January 17. Following its conclusion in Texas, the exhibition will embark on its final journey, traveling to its ultimate destination at the Mint Museum in Charlotte, North Carolina. For those wishing to delve deeper into the artistic trajectory of the brothers, an accompanying monograph sharing the title Uncanny Valley is currently available through Bookshop.
