Whether sneaker with synthetic fiber shank, whether glued high-heels with sequins, whether welted Western Boots or vulcanized shoes for children: In addition to a purely protective and fashion function shoes equally carry identity, socio-economic status, group membership or personality of the wearer. But they also hold a creative potential. In the hands of artists, architects and designers the fashionable everyday object turns into spectacular and unique autonomous sculpture.
The trend for extravagant design creation has captured not only the shoe industry in the recent years. Frequently, international artists, architects and artists are inspired by the social and aesthetic aspects of the shoe. Between design and shape fantasy, mass consumption and erotic their objects, installations and video works open up a new perspective on the reality of the footwear.
The exhibition at the Museum Villa Rot presents an amazing topic: About 130 fascinating and bizarre design objects show shoes as architectures, socially critical opinions, physiological absurdities and objects that are not recognizable as footwear at first glance. At the same time the crossover with contemporary artistic positions grants a variety of formal aesthetic and cultural references.
Whether wearabale or unwearable: As an art object, as social criticism, as an ecological solution or as fetish, made out of high-tech and natural materials, wood, ceramics, glass, paper, leather or fabric, the shoe acquires an autonomous artistic statement beyond everyday use.
The exhibition at the Museum Villa Rot was developed in collaboration with Liza Snook (www.virtualshoemuseum.com, The Hague) and the GRASSI Museum for Applied Arts (Leipzig).
Mihai Albu
Sol Alonso
Irene Andessner
Shani Bar
Rielle Beekmans
Aart van Bezooyen
Marloes ten Bhomer
Götz Bury
May Y. Cheung Hoffman
Simsa Cho
Aki Choklat
Willie Cole
Fantich & Young
Alexander Fielden
Sylvie Fleury
Sakir Gökcebag
Tabitha Gwyn Osler
Zaha Hadid
Julian Hakes
Benjamin John Hall
Chau Har Lee
Iris van Herpen x United Nude
Bart Hess
Ivo Hofsté
Daisuke Horie
Marita Huurinainen
INSA
Peter Jakubik
Jan Jansen
Lauren Johnstone
Nici Jost
Kei Kagami
Kaarina Kaikkonen
Dora Kloppenburg
KUULA + JYLHA
Maskull Lasserre
Kobi Levi
Sahil Lungani
Eelko Moorer
Marie Oka
OLEK
Yu Otaki
Omar Angel Perez
Peter Popps
Marieka Ratsma
Pablo Reinoso
Winde Rienstra
Svenja Ritter
Manami Sato
Elena Savchenko
Iris Schieferstein
Paul Schietekat
Deborah Sengl
Shoise
Ivanka Ska
Bruno Tansens
(IN) DECOROUS TASTE
Yukiko Terada
Ainsley-t by Stuart Thom
Tetsuya Uenobe
Federico Uribe
Jozefien Vandermarliere
Anna Vasof
Nick Veasey
ILJA by Ilja Visser
Leanie van der Vyver
Julius Welby
Lie van der Werff
Souzan Youssouf & Naim Josefi
Erwina Ziomkowska