Iris van Herpen - WKTV Journal

Genealogy of the American witch

As Halloween is just around the corner, Schuler Books gets everyone ready with a visit from “American Witches: A Broomstick Tour through Four Centuries!” author Susan Fair Thursday, Oct. 20.

Fair will be at the store, located 2660 28th St. SE, at 7 p.m. In her latest book, Fair explores the history of American witches, which is way wilder than what most people can even imagine. From bewitched pigs hell-bent on revenge to gruesome twentieth-century murders, “American Witches” reveals strange incidents of witchcraft that have long been swept under the rug as bizarre sidetones to history.

Pumpkins and treats

It’s a celebration of everything fall as the City of Kentwood marks is Fall Festival Saturday, Oct. 22.

From 10 a.m. – noon there will be all kinds of family fun events including hayrides, a bounce house, pumpkin races, face painting and other games all at the Kentwood Department of Public Works, 5068 Breton Rd. SE.

This is the second year the Fall Festival takes place at the same time as the Trunk or Treat, which is happening at the same location. Area businesses and organizations will have decorated their car trunks and will be passing out treats. Participants are encouraged to dress up and vote for their favorite decorated trunk. Also River City Cup & Cake will be on hand with coffee and hot chocolate available. For more, click here.

Grand Rapids Civic Theatre gets ready for its upcoming production "Holes." (Photo courtesy of GRCT) — **Digging in**

“Things aren’t always as they seem,” said Grand Rapids Civic Theatre guest director Jason Marlett. “Stanley believes his life is unfairly destined to be full of bad luck. It isn’t until he is taken out of his home environment, his comfort zone, that he begins to see life a different way. You might say he starts digging deeper into his past and present – his destiny. It’s no coincidence this storyline is built like an onion, layers and layers of hidden meanings, messages, and treasures”.

Louis Sachar adapted his novel “Holes” with his story coming to life on the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre stage Oct. 21 – 30. To stay true to the storytelling, production designers tackled two significant lighting and set design challenges. The first is how to create a stage full of holes? The second is creating a unique time period transformation. Three stories from separate time periods in history are combined in “Holes” to create one story. It is important for the audience to react to the changes without feeling awkward because while in the past we continue to reference the present, and no matter where we are in time, we never forget where the story is ultimately headed.

“Holes” is playing at the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, 30 N. Division, October 21-30 and is recommended for ages 8 and older. Please note, this play does contain violence. For tickets and other information, click here

Returning to Neverland

Peter Pan comes to life in Grand Rapids Ballet School Junior Company’s rendition of the classic story. Choreographed by Junior Company Artistic Director Attila Mosolygo, this one-hour performance includes pirates and mermaids and the vividness of a child’s imagination.

Performances are 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21; 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22; and 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 23 at the Peter Martin Wege Theatre, 341 Ellsworth Ave. SW. Tickets are $18. For more information, click here.

Refinery Smoke, Dress, July 2008: Untreated woven metal gauze, cow leather, cotton, Groninger Museum. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios

Say yes to the dress

It you have not heard, the designer behind some of Lady Gaga’s fashion, Iris van Herpern, will have an exhibit featuring her work at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, 101 Monroe Ave. NW.

The exhibit, “Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion,” features 45 haute couture outfits carefully selected from 15 of van Herpen’s collections designed from 2008 through 2015: 18 pieces from the designer’s most recent lines and a selection of her shoe designs, and 27 pieces from van Herpen’s solo exhibition at the Groninger Museum, Netherlands.

The exhibit runs Oct. 23 – Jan. 15 at the museum. For more information, click here.

Hacking Infinity, Shoes, 2015. In collaboration with Noritaka Tatehana and 3D Systems Laser-cut cow leather, 3-D printed photopolymer, and stereolithography resin Collection of the designer Photograph ©NORITAKA TATEHANA — Hacking Infinity, Shoes, 2015. In collaboration with Noritaka Tatehana and 3D Systems Laser-cut cow leather, 3-D printed photopolymer, and stereolithography resin
Collection of the designer
Photograph ©NORITAKA TATEHANA

Fashion takes center stage at the Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) as more than 50 sculptural masterpieces by Dutch designer Iris van Herpen make their Midwest debut this fall. Since interning for legendary fashion designer Alexander McQueen, van Herpen’s designs have been featured on the runways of Paris, Amsterdam and London and in the galleries of museums from Paris to New York.

Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion, on view at GRAM in Grand Rapids from Oct. 23 to Jan. 15 will fill the entire third floor of the Museum. The exhibition features 45 haute couture outfits carefully selected from 15 of van Herpen’s collections designed from 2008 through 2015: 18 pieces from the designer’s most recent lines, a selection of her shoe designs and 27 works from van Herpen’s solo exhibition at the Groninger Museum, Netherlands.

Voltage, Dress, January 2013: In collaboration with Philip Beesley Laser cut 3D polyester film lace, micro fiber. Collection of the designer. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios

In addition to van Herpen’s designs, a hands-on “touch material” section of the exhibition will encourage visitors to explore some of the more unusual materials she uses including translucent stainless steel fabric and structures made from the tines of children’s umbrellas.

“Iris continues to redefine fashion and its place in the art world,” said GRAM Director & CEO Dana Friis-Hansen. “Like most artists, she continually experiments and tests new ideas to realize her artistic vision, be that capturing the movement of water or the visualization of sound waves. That creative spirit is central to all we do at GRAM and we’re excited to share such a breathtaking exhibition.”

“Iris’s designs have been described as having a ‘sublime beauty,’” said GRAM Chief Curator Ron Platt. “She accomplishes that by melding design, technology, fashion and science in a manner that seems almost effortless but remains deeply rooted in traditional craftsmanship.”

Radiation Invasion, Dress, September 2009. Faux leather, gold foil, cotton, tulle/ Groninger Museum. Photo by Bart Oomes, No 6 Studios

Van Herpen (Dutch, born 1984) produced her first collection in 2007, shortly after graduating from the ArtEZ Institute of the Arts in the Netherlands. Born in the small town of Wamel, she is now based primarily in Amsterdam. In 2012, she became a member of the exclusive Chambre Syndicale de Haute Couture, where her designs regularly appear in biannual Paris runway shows. Van Herpen divides her time between the contained world of her studio, her global network of collaborators and the international stage of fashion.

Iris van Herpen: Transforming Fashion is co-organized by the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, and the Groninger Museum, the Netherlands. The exhibition was curated by Sarah Schleuning, High Museum of Art, and Mark Wilson and Sue-an van der Zijpp, Groninger Museum.

The exhibition will be complemented by a series of presentations from special guests including Schleuning, who will provide anecdotes about working with van Herpen on the exhibition. GRAM members can take advantage of two member-only opportunities to preview Transforming Fashion before it opens to the public — a member preview party on October 21st and a member day on October 22nd.

For GRAM’s hours and admission fees, visit artmuseumgr.org or call 616-831-1000.