BY LANCE AVERY MORGAN
Their First Book Is A Tribute To Their Super Cool & Collectible Art
There’s an entire universe somewhere between reality and reverie, and the Haas Brothers built it by hand. Equal parts mischievous and masterful, their fantastical sculptures, furniture, and creatures have long existed in that delicious liminal space where art winks at design, and beauty hums with humor. Now, the twin talents, Nikolai Haas and Simon Haas, are inviting us inside that world through their new book, Uncanny Valley (Phaidon/Monacelli, $79.95), a vivid compendium of the surreal, sensual, and downright sublime, as our art arbiter Lance Avery Morgan learned recently when he caught up with the duo about their first comprehensive monograph on the daring, irreverent, and fantastical art.
From the moment they began creating together as kids in Austin, Texas, the Haas Brothers were world-builders. “Since we were babies, we have created together,” they say. “We dive into fantasies and unearth ideas as a way to generate joy. Regardless of where we are or what may be happening in our lives or in the world, we can come together and immerse ourselves in something entirely dedicated to creating safety, catharsis, and happiness.” Their shared process, they explain, “yields artworks and creative visions that we can share with others, and world-building is a significant part of that.”
Twins With Benefits (Of Creative Collaboration)
Collaboration, of course, is literally in their DNA. As twins, they’ve had a lifetime of creative push-and-pull, resulting in some of the most whimsical, tactile, and emotionally resonant works in contemporary art. But as any sibling duo can attest, harmony takes work…and humor.
“We’ve learned to be incredibly honest and empathetic with each other,” they admit. “Like any close relationship, we’ve had our disagreements, but we know that we are always committed to each other and will always trust and love one another.”
That mutual trust allows them to navigate their distinct viewpoints until they reach that special creative frequency only the Haas Brothers can hear. “If we both love what we’ve created, then we know we’ve done it well,” they explain. “When it’s right, it’s right.”
And when it’s right, it’s pure “Haas Land,” a place populated by fuzzy, sensuous beasts and golden, curving furnishings that seem to breathe. It’s a world that invites not just admiration, but affection. “The innate sensuality and tactile quality of our work are intentional,” they say. “Attraction to our objects is one of our most significant tools to induce empathy, and that empathy towards our objects allows us to truly begin the important part of art-making for us.”
Just don’t expect a “Do Not Touch” sign in their studio. “If you visit our studio, you are welcome to touch anything,” they laugh. “The rule only applies in galleries.”
Rooted In Texas, Reaching For The Cosmos
Though they’ve shown work everywhere from Los Angeles to London and collaborated with cultural titans like Lady Gaga and Louis Vuitton, the brothers’ roots remain firmly planted in Austin, Texas; a place whose quirk and creativity still color their work.
“Austin is goofy, playful, and cool,” they say. “You have to accommodate all types in Texas, and I believe that has made us adept at incorporating humor, utilizing gracious transgression, working hard, and maintaining a laid-back attitude.” They credit the city’s “excellent builder culture” for their early fascination with construction and craft, a foundation that would later expand into bronze, resin, beads, and fur-covered fantasy.
Their connection to Texas remains both professional and personal. They’ve long supported museums like The Contemporary Austin, donating pieces for its auctions and exhibitions. “Exposure to museums when we were younger was a huge part of fostering the excitement and ambition that eventually helped us form the vision for our studio,” they share. “Visiting museums today continues to expand our minds and introduce us to new ideas. It’s incredibly important for us to contribute to that in any way we can.”
The Universe, Reimagined
In Uncanny Valley, the Haas Brothers open the doors to their creative cosmos—a place where art, humor, and humanity blur into one glowing whole. “Ultimately, any great artwork allows the viewer to project themselves onto the work and have their own experience,” they explain. “When we’re creating the work, we feel both a deep connection and an escape.”
And though their work feels timeless, they’re still surprised by the journey so far. “When we get the opportunity to step back and look at it (like when creating this book), it truly does feel like we’ve covered a lot of ground and spanned many aesthetic sensibilities,” they reflect. “We’re so focused on the leading edge that it’s really hard for us to perceive the shifts.”
As for seeing their creations immortalized in print? “It’s flooring that we get to make a book,” they say. “We’re incredibly lucky. We’ve had so many brilliant minds supporting us. It feels like a beautiful culmination of a lot of hard work, and it’s an incredible honor.”
A Dreamscape With A Wink
Their world is built on symbols, sensations, and a streak of absurdist joy. “It’s more about ideas or parts of dreams that become artwork,” they say. “Symbols or processes, such as our beading process or some of our characters. They both stem from the same place of creating symbols and fleshing out a point of view.”
If their creatures could talk, they’d have plenty to say. “Sassiest: Salt Whitmann or Oscar the couch. Wisest: Raisin D’etre. Gossip: Mouth-ew Broderick,” they laugh; a reminder that their universe, for all its philosophical depth, never takes itself too seriously.
Uncanny & Undeniable
At the heart of Uncanny Valley lies a paradox: work that feels alien yet intimate, strange yet deeply human. The Haas Brothers’ creations reflect who we are, who we wish we were, and who we might become if we let imagination take the wheel.
If the book were a mixtape, they’d leave the playlist up to you. “Perhaps that should be an exercise for anyone reading the book or visiting the show,” they muse. “To make an Uncanny Valley soundtrack.”
Because, after all, the Haas Brothers’ art doesn’t just invite you to look; it invites you to play, touch, laugh, and dream. And that may be their most incredible creation of all: a world that feels like home, even when it’s wildly, wonderfully strange.
