Lecture 2 in the "From Medium to Meaning: Critical Perspectives in Art History" Series

How does softness reshape the history of sculpture?

Soft Power traces the emergence of soft sculpture from the mid-20th century to today, exploring how artists use pliable materials—textiles, fabric, latex, foam, thread—to challenge form, politics, and perception. From Pop Art absurdity to feminist craft, from bodily metaphor to anti-monumental gestures, this lecture examines softness as both an artistic strategy and a cultural critique.

Through major works by Claes Oldenburg, Yayoi Kusama, Faith Ringgold, Lynda Benglis, and a range of contemporary voices, the talk highlights how softness intersects with themes of gender, queerness, labor, vulnerability, and resistance. Attendees will be invited to reconsider what sculpture can be when permanence gives way to process, intimacy, and provocation.

What the Lecture Covers

• The shift from traditional sculptural permanence to pliable, process-based forms