Portrait of an Artist
Harper's Bazaar India|March 2017

In a rare interview, Helmut Lang opens up about his experiments in art and finding meaning in ordinary materials.

Esha Mahajan
Portrait of an Artist

THE INCIDENT OF A FIRE IN 2010 at Helmut Lang’s space in SoHo, New York City, where he stored his archive of clothing designs, is a good starting point to understand his oeuvre. Lang, who stopped designing in 2005 to focus on art, destroyed whatever the fire didn’t claim, in an industrial shredder. He then mixed the resultant scraps with resin and white pigment, and fashioned them into pillar-like sculptures. The end of fashion, a beginning in art. The transformation of material into something that bears no resemblance to its original form. It is this thought that informs Lang’s work today.

“I don’t have a preference of the materials I use. Some are found when I am interested in their scars from a previous life, which I want to implement in my work. My starting point is most often the material itself. I start quite brutally with the idea that I have nothing to lose, and that recklessness often works,” says Lang. Later this month, he opens an exhibition at Sperone West water in New York City, followed by key shows at museums Sammlung Friedrich shof and Stadtraum in Austria in May.

This story is from the March 2017 edition of Harper's Bazaar India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the March 2017 edition of Harper's Bazaar India.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM HARPER'S BAZAAR INDIAView All
...Carry A Rockstar Look?
Harper's Bazaar India

...Carry A Rockstar Look?

Remember the iconic advice from Bob Dylan: "Sometimes you have to bite your lip and put on some sunglasses"? He, of course, took it strictly, crafting his musician persona with those classic black Ray-Ban Wayfarers. Now it's your chance to create your own stylish journey with a timeless touch of sophistication.

time-read
1 min  |
March 2024
The Yarn Story
Harper's Bazaar India

The Yarn Story

A slew of homegrown labels are making a case for why knitwear could be a year-round choice.

time-read
4 mins  |
March 2024
HOLA BARCELONA!
Harper's Bazaar India

HOLA BARCELONA!

From art, culture, and architecture to a buzzing nightlife, Spain's second-largest city has something for everyone.

time-read
5 mins  |
March 2024
BEAUTY NEWS
Harper's Bazaar India

BEAUTY NEWS

All that's fresh in the world of beauty right now.

time-read
2 mins  |
March 2024
THE NEW FRONTIER
Harper's Bazaar India

THE NEW FRONTIER

Explore the shift towards holistic body care.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2024
'CELEBRATE YOUR SKIN TONE'
Harper's Bazaar India

'CELEBRATE YOUR SKIN TONE'

In an exclusive conversation with Bazaar India, make-up mogul Laura Mercier, who recently launched her products in India, talks about her career, the flawless look that she pioneered, and shares make-up tips.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2024
GREAT STRIDES
Harper's Bazaar India

GREAT STRIDES

A psychoanalyst explores how women have taken control of the sartorial narrative over the centuries, embracing fashion as a subtle yet powerful form of self-expression.

time-read
7 mins  |
March 2024
FROM ASCENT TO APEX
Harper's Bazaar India

FROM ASCENT TO APEX

When rising star ANANYA PANDAY crosses paths with resurgent legend ZEENAT AMAN, it's a celebration of womanhood in all its glory.

time-read
10+ mins  |
March 2024
INDIAN LEGACY, GLOBAL OUTLOOK
Harper's Bazaar India

INDIAN LEGACY, GLOBAL OUTLOOK

Tracing Welspun Living's journey from its humble beginnings in Gujarat to its international dominance in the home textile industry.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2024
PAGE TURNERS
Harper's Bazaar India

PAGE TURNERS

These forbidden romance' novels defy expectations and redefine love.

time-read
1 min  |
March 2024