Giant Soft Fan

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.

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.

27 juin 1968 – 6 octobre 1968

Exhibition: 4. documenta

1969

Solo show at MoMA

In 1969 the Museum of Modern Art in New York held a solo exhibition of Oldenburg's work; the same year he contributed a drawing to the Moon Museum.

1969–1977

His relationship with Hannah Wilke

From 1969 to 1977 Oldenburg was in a relationship with the feminist artist and sculptor Hannah Wilke: they shared studios and travelled together, and she often photographed him. His marriage to Patty Mucha ended in 1970.