Study for a Soft Toilet

1960s

Happenings of the “Ray Gun Theater”

In the 1960s Oldenburg, now associated with Pop art, staged happenings he called the “Ray Gun Theater”, with Lucas Samaras, Tom Wesselmann, Carolee Schneemann and others; his first wife Patty Mucha, who sewed many of his early soft sculptures — “Floor Hamburger”, “Floor Cone”, “Floor Cake” — was a constant performer.

1963

Move to Los Angeles, “the most opposite thing to New York”

In 1963 Oldenburg moved to Los Angeles “because it was the most opposite thing to New York [he] could think of”.

1965

Projects for imaginary monuments

From 1965 Oldenburg drew projects for imaginary outdoor monuments — at first small collages: a fat, fuzzy teddy bear looming over the fields of Central Park (1965), lipsticks in Piccadilly Circus, London (1966).

1966

Solo show at the Moderna Museet

In 1966 Pontus Hultén organised a solo exhibition of Oldenburg's work at the Moderna Museet.