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Haas Brothers Exhibition Opens at Blanton Museum

The midcareer retrospective features sculptures and furniture and will remain on display through January 2027.

Updated on Oct. 21, 2026 in Fine Art

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The Blanton Museum of Art in Austin launched a midcareer retrospective of the Haas Brothers, featuring whimsical sculpture and furniture pieces. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Austin visitors and locals can now explore a midcareer retrospective of the Haas Brothers at the Blanton Museum of Art. The exhibition, which opened October 21, showcases whimsical sculptures and furniture created by Simon and Nikolai Haas, who spent their formative years in the city.

Why it matters

The exhibition highlights the creative evolution of two artists whose early work was shaped by the Austin spirit of the 1990s. It offers residents an immersive look at how the brothers blend traditional materials with unconventional themes.

The display features a central strawberry tree composed of 500,000 hand-applied blue beads. This show marks a 15-year milestone in the careers of Simon and Nikolai Haas.

The players

Simon and Nikolai Haas

Artists and brothers who spent their formative years in Austin.

Blanton Museum of Art

The art museum located at the University of Texas at Austin.

The details

The exhibition, titled Uncanny Valley, draws its name from Masahiro Mori’s 1970 hypothesis regarding human reactions to lifelike objects. Visitors will see sculptures and functional pieces crafted from diverse materials including bronze, glass, and fur. The Blanton Museum of Art is hosting this retrospective through early 2027.

Timeline

  1. The exhibition opened to the public on October 21, 2026.

  2. The exhibition remains on view through January 17, 2027.

The Texas Context

The exhibition name explicitly references Masahiro Mori's 1970 uncanny valley hypothesis regarding psychological responses to lifelike robots. This show brings that academic concept into the realm of fine art, continuing a trend of major Texas institutions like the Nasher Sculpture Center hosting significant contemporary retrospectives.

Fans of local art history can visit the Blanton Museum of Art downtown to view the installation during regular museum hours. The exhibition will be available for public viewing through January 17, 2027.

The takeaway

Keep an eye on the museum calendar for potential artist talks or guided tours while the retrospective is in town. The exhibit offers a unique chance to see how Austin-grown talent has evolved over the past decade and a half.

Further reading

You can find more on current gallery openings and artist spotlights in our Fine Art section.

Source note: This article includes information reported by KUT.

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Do you feel local museum exhibits significantly improve the cultural vibrancy of your community?