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Who is Helmut Lang as an artist?
You might know Helmut Lang as the revolutionary designer who brought the everyday uniform to fashion. You might know him for his denim, his bondage collection, his astro wear or his parkas…
But do you know about his art?
After selling his brand in 2005 to the Prada group, he left fashion entirely to embark on his career as an artist.
Mirroring his work in fashion, his art would often utilize everyday and industrial materials - leveraging the everyday experience to cultivate interesting sculptural forms. [Insert pictures of raw materials] -> [Sculptures]
Notable exhibitions include FOCUS GROUP 2 at von ammon co in Washington DC, 100 Sculptures at the no gallery in LA and SMILE at Halsey Mckay, amongst others.
His most notable collaboration in the art world, however, was with Anthony Vaccarello, the creative director of Yves Saint Laurent at the time. [Show picture of Anthony Vaccarello, his greatest works in sequence]
This project was showcased at the Rive Droite shop in Paris, where Lang transformed Vaccarello’s creations into unique sculptures made of fabric, hardware, resin and aluminum. All these materials were recycled from Vaccarello’s work in fashion and highlighted the intersection between art and fashion.
Reference
Helmut Lang’s transition from fashion to art marks a significant evolution in his creative journey. After leaving the fashion industry in 2005, Lang embarked on a career as a visual artist, focusing on the transformation of materials into sculptural forms. His works often utilize everyday and industrial materials, challenging traditional distinctions between art and fashion. Lang’s art exhibits have been held in various prestigious venues worldwide, reflecting a diverse range of themes and materials. Notable exhibitions include “FOCUS GROUP II” at von ammon co in Washington, D.C., “100 Sculptures” at no gallery in Los Angeles, and “SMILE” at Halsey McKay in East Hampton, among others.
One of Lang’s notable collaborations in the art world was with Anthony Vaccarello, the creative director of Saint Laurent. For a project showcased at the Saint Laurent Rive Droite shop in Paris, Lang transformed Vaccarello’s creations into unique sculptures made of fabric, hardware, resin, and aluminum. This collaboration highlighted the intersection between art and fashion, showcasing how materials from the fashion industry could be repurposed into art.
Lang’s work in the art world is marked by a focus on the raw and the transformational, using materials in unexpected ways to explore themes of decay, construction, and the human form. His shift from fashion to art underscores a broader exploration of creative boundaries and the potential for materials to convey meaning beyond their original context.
These endeavors showcase Helmut Lang’s enduring influence and his ability to reinvent himself across different creative mediums, continually pushing the boundaries between fashion and art.
Sculpture Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hH4UVnhy5lQ