Official Celebration For ‘Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses’

Current and former Members of Parliament and Queensland’s Consular Corps; Queensland Art Gallery Chair, Professor Emeritus Ian O’Connor AC, and the Board of Trustees; QAGOMA Director Mr Chris Saines CNZM; Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris CEO, Ms Sylvie Corréard; Iris van Herpen and Salvador Breed; exhibition partners and supporters; distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen.

Thank you, Mr Shannon Ruska for your warm welcome to Country.

I would also like to acknowledge the Original Custodians of the lands around Brisbane, the Turrbal and Jagera people, and pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging, and to all First Nations people here this evening.

Graeme and I were absolutely delighted to accept the invitation to attend this magical event celebrating the remarkable Iris van Herpen.

As Patrons of the Queensland Art Gallery and Gallery of Modern Art Foundation, both Graeme and I are avid art enthusiasts – for in art, the senses are activated, and the intricate beauty of the world is encapsulated through the outlook of the most creative and visionary individuals.

And nothing could be truer tonight in this incredible exhibition of the work of Iris van Herpen, and the accompanying and most complementary soundscape created by Salvador Breed.

We are not alone in our admiration for the garments envisioned and fashioned by Iris for she has many, many devotees…  Beyonce… Cate Blanchett… Lady Gaga…Tilda Swinton… yes, you may have heard of them!

Fame and renown aside, perhaps it was your upbringing in the small village of Wamel in The Netherlands, Iris – immersed in nature – that fed your fascination with the living world – a childhood passion that continues to inspire yours works today.

Your dance training also fed your spirit and imagination, and I suspect the beauty of the human body in motion, coupled with classical discipline and structure, established for you a base from which to consolidate but then move beyond the expected forms, and incorporate these deviations into your fashion.

‘Sculpting the Senses’ is indeed a fitting title for what we have seen and experienced this evening. Along with the garments, footwear and headpieces so expertly and intricately cast, senses have also been stimulated by the work of the many other artists who have contributed to this innovative landscape.

To Iris, our exploration of the nine themes that constitute your work in this exhibition has brought us much joy and certainly piqued our sense of awe and wonder. Thank you.

And to those in the Arts sector, the exhibition stakeholders, all exhibiting artists, the sponsors, patrons and supporters, and the QAGOMA team involved in bringing this exhibition to fruition, thank you for your foresight.

We have all revelled in learning a new language tonight – the language of Iris van Herpen, and it is indeed a pleasure to declare this Australian-exclusive exhibition open.