Prishtina, Kosovo – An unusual intersection of contemporary art and athletic discipline is currently on display at the National Library of Kosovo. The exhibition, “Softness Controls Hardness,” featuring the work of artists Anaïs Horn and Verena Walzl, opened on March 13, 2026, and runs through May 15, 2026. The project challenges traditional notions of strength and heroism, finding them instead in the practice and dedication of young female judokas.
The exhibition, curated by Blerta Hoçia, takes its inspiration from the martial art of judo, a sport that emphasizes balance, attentiveness, and redirecting an opponent’s energy rather than meeting force with force. Rather than focusing on established national heroes, Horn and Walzl turn their attention to the quiet strength cultivated through training, repetition, and concentration. This shift in perspective, Hoçia notes, reveals “another figure of strength — one that emerges through patience, adjustment, and the ongoing process of becoming.”
“Softness is not the absence of force, but a different intelligence of resistance — one that understands that the path, the gesture, and the method shape the outcome more profoundly than the pursuit of victory itself,” Hoçia explained in a statement accompanying the exhibition. This core philosophy permeates the artwork, prompting viewers to reconsider what constitutes true strength and resilience.
The artists’ approach is multifaceted, incorporating portraits, Japanese-inspired poetry, and performance elements. The young judokas themselves are presented as “monumental” figures, their dedication and discipline elevated to a level typically reserved for celebrated national icons. The exhibition isn’t simply *about* judo; it uses the sport as a lens through which to examine broader themes of heroism and strength in contemporary society.
The project’s origins trace back to a collaborative period for Horn and Walzl. Walzl recounted that the idea began to accept shape after an artist residency in Paris, where she and Horn connected. Years later, Horn visited Walzl in Kosovo, sparking a conversation about potential artistic projects within the local context. “She was working with photos of young people and asked me what we could work on in Kosovo, as she said I knew the context,” Walzl explained. The timing felt particularly resonant, given Kosovo’s recent success in judo, including a historic Olympic medal won by a female athlete.
Walzl further elaborated on the research process, stating, “I began reading judo textbooks and researching a lot about the philosophy of judo, as I hadn’t been familiar with it before.” This deep dive into the principles of the sport informed the artistic direction, allowing them to explore the nuances of its physical and mental demands.
The exhibition incorporates a variety of media. Walzl contributes a video installation displayed in the National Library’s lobby, alongside mirror engravings featuring poetry in the form of haiku. These haiku, inspired by photographs taken during visits to a judo club in Peja, invite viewers to reflect on their own image alongside the verses. Horn’s work centers around textile installations, where images of the young judokas initially appear as individual portraits. However, the transparency of the material allows the images to blend and merge when viewed from different angles, creating a sense of interconnectedness.
Horn, who studied literature and communication design, described her multidisciplinary practice as exploring themes of feminism, language, and power structures through poetic and political approaches. She emphasized the importance of building trust with the young athletes, stating, “It took a certain amount of trust to make these intimate portraits and to develop this kind of familiarity that comes from our previous work, which is very important to me.” The resulting photographs capture moments of movement, concentration, and exhaustion, revealing a rare visual intimacy.
The artists’ technique intentionally blurs the lines between bodies and movements, creating a sense of transparency and visual softness. “That’s a technique I often employ with these motifs because I want to focus on the two-sided state. Seeing images that merge into each other, that flow into each other, looking behind the images in the transparency, the softness, the movement that wouldn’t be possible in a harder material,” Horn explained.
Curator Blerta Hoçia connected the exhibition’s title directly to the philosophy of judo, suggesting that contemporary society needs heroes who are not only strong but too gentle. “Perhaps we need heroines and heroes at this moment who are not only strong but also gentle. That’s why the two artists in their work don’t focus on national heroines and heroes, but on young girls who practice this sport. As a promise, but also as a hope for the future,” she said.
Hoçia also drew a deliberate parallel between the portraits of the young judokas and the portraits of prominent figures displayed on the floor above the library, noting that the latter primarily featured men. This juxtaposition, she suggested, was a conscious effort to elevate the voices of women and youth.
“Softness Controls Hardness” offers a compelling and thought-provoking exploration of strength, heroism, and the power of dedication. The exhibition is open to the public at the National Library of Kosovo until May 15, 2026, providing a unique opportunity to experience this innovative intersection of art and sport.
The exhibition’s exploration of a new kind of heroism, one rooted in discipline and resilience, resonates particularly strongly in Kosovo, a nation with a growing presence on the international sports stage. The focus on young female athletes serves as both a celebration of their achievements and a hopeful vision for the future.
What’s Next: The “Softness Controls Hardness” exhibition will remain on display at the National Library of Kosovo through May 15, 2026. Visitors can experience the artwork firsthand and engage with the themes of strength, discipline, and the evolving definition of heroism.
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