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Abstract Art and materials innovation have always been intertwined, dating back to the earliest human creations. In modern times, however, the increasing specialization of materials science often restricts artists' access to cutting‐edge materials. Here, the materials science aspects of an art‐science collaboration between artist Kimsooja and the Wiesner Lab at Cornell University, are detailed. The project involves the development of a custom‐made iridescent block copolymer coating by means of self‐assembly, originally applied to transparent window panels of a façade for the ≈14 m tall art installation:A Needle Woman: Galaxy Is a Memory, Earth is a Souvenirby artist Kimsooja. After several exhibitions in the US and Europe, the installation is now part of the permanent museum collection at Yorkshire Sculpture Park in Wakefield, UK. Full characterization of the solution blade‐cast coatings show shear aligned, standing up lamellar morphologies that behave as volume‐phase gratings with periodicities between 300 and 400 nm. Coatings are also applied to foldable (origami) paper and converted into iridescent porous ceramic materials. It is hoped this work inspires and informs communities across materials science, the arts, and architecture. 

Abstract The field of quantum materials has experienced rapid growth over the past decade, driven by exciting new discoveries with immense transformative potential. Traditional synthetic methods to quantum materials have, however, limited the exploration of architectural control beyond the atomic scale. By contrast, soft matter self‐assembly can be used to tailor material structure over a large range of length scales, with a vast array of possible form factors, promising emerging quantum material properties at the mesoscale. This review explores opportunities for soft matter science to impact the synthesis of quantum materials with advanced properties. Existing work at the interface of these two fields is highlighted, and perspectives are provided on possible future directions by discussing the potential benefits and challenges which can arise from their bridging.