Soft Soft
Challenge:
Conservative masculine role models are harmful in many ways. Statistics for Europe show that:
– 3 out of 4 suicides are committed by men
– 95% of the prison population is male
– 78% of domestic violence is committed by men
These figures reflect the intense societal pressure men face, despite or especially because being positioned at the top of our patriarchal system. There is little to no room for failure or vulnerability, which reinforces unhealthy emotional suppression.
Approach:
Using personal narrative, the projects create a collective voice with in-depth insight into a world where only muscles and engines are allowed to cry. It serves as a starting point for discussions on gender norms and presents a feministic perspective on manhood, envisioning a softer form of masculinity.
Soft Soft, stainless steel, embossed with 15 bars.
Context: Master thesis at Konstfack University in Stockholm
Year: 2025
Credits:
Supervision: Patrick Lacey & Michael Evidon
Soft Soft acts as a medium for discourse around the hidden struggle of a lot of men being unable to express emotions. This large-scale issue is shown from a personal coming out of age perspective based on personal stories research and workshop outcomes. Creating a communal voice revealing how emotional repression is internalized from boyhood.
The publication unfolds an unpolished, tactile story of masculinity in crisis, crafted along a red thread of raising awareness, developing emotional vocabulary, and breaking the barrier of silence. The stainless-steel cover evokes the tough shell that society expects men to maintain. Inside, a muted visual language, black-and-white imagery punctuated by red risograph-printed bursts of anger, reflects a suppressed emotional landscape. This is further emphasized through shifting paper types, shifting formats, and contrasting layout grids.
Objects
An additional highlight is the four physical sculptures. These material explorations are crafted with the idea of contrasting strength and fragility. Woven into the publication’s narrative, they serve as three-dimensional manifestations, carrying the storyline into the physical world.
Tissue dumbbell
Stainless steel with tissue box dispenser
24x35x13 cm
Inflatable arm
Orange oilcloth screenprinted,
inflated with ballons
50x40x13 cm
Burned out and exhausted
Polyester scarf
Sublimated
70×70 cm
I wish I was softer somehow
Lasercut on granite stone,
filled with golden acrylic paint
20x30x9 cm
Exhibition
All parts of the project are coming together in a captivating exhibition, creating a mesmerizing and tangible experience. The narrative explored in the publication unfolds in real time, allowing visitors to engage with the content in a tangible, deeply personal way. The boundaries between story and reality blur, inviting each viewer to step inside the world of the work.
Exhibited at the Konstfack graduation show of 2025 in Stockholm, Sweden.
