Welcome to the ‘Uncanny Valley,’ the Haas Brothers’ Fantastic and Cheeky Universe

In a large-scale exhibition titled "Uncanny Valley," the Haas Brothers, Nikolai and Simon, present a fantastical universe of strange and whimsical creations at the Blanton Museum of Art. The siblings, who have been collaborating since 2010, are renowned for their unique sculptures and installations that merge natural and artificial elements with a touch of humor and surrealism.

The show, which includes figurative furniture, plush cartoonish characters, and illuminated installations, is a mid-career survey of the duo's quirky works. It is the first major retrospective for the Haas Brothers and draws inspiration from their upbringing in Austin, Texas, where the unofficial city slogan "Keep Austin Weird" left an indelible mark on their artistic sensibilities.

The exhibition also touches upon the brothers' fascination with technology and its implications. They often explore the boundary between the artificial and the natural, creating works like the "strawberry tree," a glowing, otherworldly sculpture that appears as if transported from another planet. Simon Haas explains that this piece is an embodiment of the 'uncanny valley' concept, a term coined in robotics to describe the phenomenon where the more human-like a robot becomes, the greater our empathy for it grows, until it reaches a point where its human likeness elicits revulsion.

The Haas Brothers believe that adding a dose of cuteness to such creations can reverse this reaction, increasing empathy instead of causing revulsion.

Simon elaborates on the 'uncanny valley' theme, stating that over their 15-year career, the concept became a central focus. "Uncanny Valley" will be on view at the Blanton Museum in Austin until January 17, after which it will travel to the Mint Museum in Charleston. The accompanying monograph of the same name can be found on Bookshop.