A playful meeting of the natural and the artificial
Twins Nikolai and Simon Haas turn childhood-inspired imagination into a gallery-scale experience with Uncanny Valley, a mid-career survey at the Blanton Museum of Art in Austin. The exhibition brings together figurative furniture, soft, cartoon-like characters and illuminated installations, all shaped by the artists' surreal, mischievous style.
Collaborating as the Haas Brothers since 2010, the Los Angeles-based duo often explores the boundary between technology and nature. Their work draws on the idea of the "uncanny valley": the uneasy response that can arise when something artificial looks almost human. The brothers approach that tension with bold forms and a dose of cuteness, inviting curiosity rather than discomfort.
The exhibition also reflects the artists' connection to Austin, where they spent much of their youth. After its presentation at the Blanton, Uncanny Valley is scheduled to travel to the Mint Museum in Charleston. It remains on view in Austin through January 17.
By combining sculptural design, fantasy and questions about artificiality, the exhibition offers a fresh lens on how artists can make emerging technologies feel more familiar--and more open to interpretation.
