Step into a world in which interconnectedness and innovation abound with
"Janet Echelman: Radical Softness," on view Nov. 16, 2025-April 26, 2026, at Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design. Janet Echelman's solo exhibition at Sarasota Art Museum traces more than four decades of her path-breaking career, offering an intimate look at Echelman's artistic evolution through drawings, paintings, textiles and the artist's renowned monumental, netted sculptures and sculptural dance performances. The exhibition also marks the debut of a series of cyanotypes created from 3D models and photographs made during her design process, translating her monumental forms into a new photographic medium that uses the environment — sunlight — as both method and subject.
"'Radical Softness' invites visitors to experience art that transcends genre and fosters shared moments of wonder," said Virginia Shearer, Sarasota Art Museum's executive director. "As Sarasota Art Museum encourages visitors to explore new ideas, Janet Echelman's work illustrates art's ability to reshape our perceptions of physical space and interpersonal connection."
Echelman, who held the top spot on Oprah Winfrey's "List of 50 Things That Make You Say Wow!," is best known for her larger-than-life sculptures that marry design, architecture and engineering. Often choreographed by the wind, the aerial networks of knotted netting demonstrate interconnectedness and unity. When any part of the sculpture billows, all the surrounding elements are impacted, including the visitors underneath.
