Martin Margiela has unveiled his first monumental outdoor sculpture, titled Blinds, in Antwerp’s Schuttershofstraat. Created for the Middleheim Museum’s Art in the City initiative, this work reflects Margiela’s transition from fashion into visual art. With a circular, reflective structure, Blinds mimics window blinds, inviting viewers to ponder ideas of visibility and privacy, a recurring theme in Margiela’s work.
The museum explains that the sculpture not only references the street’s shop windows but also mirrors the viewers themselves, exploring the interplay between “seeing and being seen” amid the unpredictability of urban life. Constructed from stainless steel plated with palladium, the slats resemble fabric, combining industrial materials with a delicate, textile-like texture. Margiela’s Blinds becomes a surreal encounter, as passersby are drawn to look “behind the curtain” but find only their reflections.
The sculpture’s stillness contrasts with the city’s movement, invoking Belgian surrealism and adding a layer of mystery. Middleheim Museum notes that Blinds transforms an everyday domestic item into a piece that captivates the public imagination, merging Margiela’s fashion roots with his evolving artistic vision.
Photography by TOM CORNILLE
