More than one medium, more than one canvas
By Zarmminaa Rehman
Sun out, wind flowing. Walking down Church Street towards the Bata Shoe Museum, I was ready to immerse myself into an art form that may continue to be questioned by those unaware of the depth it holds.
Beginning my journey on the third floor, I walked into the exhibit as if I were stepping inside a fashion show. With dim lighting and spotlights fashioned above the glass cases, I was definitely in an art exhibit — “Art/Wear: Sneakers and Artists,” to be exact.
Art itself is an expression, it’s meant to move, it’s meant to speak. Those who contest sneakers and shoes as art doubt the strength of art to be visible anywhere beyond a woven cotton white canvas.
Moving through the exhibit, I explored the history of creativity as displayed on a pair of shoes. Where we’ve all likely found ourselves lining our skin with black and blue ink in an attempt to cure boredom, the foundation of shoe DIY has a similar humble introduction to our society.
With modern ballerina ballpoint pens marking their debut in the hands of consumers, we’re all fascinated by the idea of leaving our mark in any way we can. Using the ballpoint pens, students started to draw on their shoes.
The Bata Shoe Museum aims to ask the question “Are shoes art?” Though the answer may vary, it’s evident by the displays of art and artists featured within the exhibit that, yes, it is.
More than just the shoes, the exhibit highlights how when it comes to creativity, it doesn’t just start and end with footwear. The boxes, and even the crumpled paper inside, invite us to look beyond the functionality of shoes and value the experience of first laying eyes on a brand new shoe — sneakerhead or not.
As a child, a new pair of shoes was always an exciting experience. I once used to check how fast I could run in a pair if my favourite colour was in them and if they came with velcro instead of shoelaces. Now, I find myself checking how many outfits my shoes can match and, of course, offer arch support.
Beyond the function of shoes, those of us who have the energy to dress to impress on the way to university can say that shoes — like any statement accessory — can make or break an outfit.
The “Art/Wear” exhibit sparked the question: “Can shoes be considered art?” But it also invites us to explore a broader inquiry: what else can we fit into art?
Like a modern art gallery, one can spend hours observing the intricate details of all the pieces and luckily, the exhibit is running at the Bata Shoe Museum until March 23, 2026. Here are some editor-recommended pieces to see:
MSCHF BWD, 2023
Art collective MSCHF’s (mischief) fulfills what it means to be mischievous through the “BWD” (backwards) shoe. Created to be worn from the front, from afar the shoe presents similarly to any other pair of trainers. Yet the closer you look, it oddly resembles a sandal and running shoes hybrid sure to confuse all those who catch you walking the streets in these. A message-filled shoe depicts life as one to be understood in “backwards” yet we live it forward. The shoe box depicts both “FWD” and “BWD” — implying that FWD shoes may also exist (currently or in the future) if we only have the BWD pair.
KAWS x Simpsons Vans Chukka Boot LX “The Simpsons,” 2007
KAWS x The Simpsons x Vans Chukka Boot LX (2007) 💛 pic.twitter.com/XobLegwCOs
— Sneaker News (@SneakerNews) August 11, 2024
As a childhood fan of The Simpsons, while walking around the glass case full of KAWS’ work, I couldn’t help but notice the outline of familiar classic yellow characters — this time with a twist. Designed onto a pair of Vans Chukka Boost, the blue lines on top of the white background give the semblance of a piece of paper with the characters depicted with the signature KAWS X in a “sketched” fashion. One of the installments, that I myself wouldn’t deny wearing due to the nostalgia of sketching and doodling in notebooks bored in class.
Off-White x Air Jordan 1 “Chicago
”Even if you’re not a Jordan fan, the chances are you’ve seen a pair of Jordans, in reference to and created for legendary basketball player Micheal Jordan. The late Virgil Abloh’s, architect and founder of Off-White, 3 per cent theory states that by changing just 3 per cent of an item, you can create a new design, hence the creation of the “Off-White X Air Jordan 1 “Chicago.” Though the fundamental look of the shoe remains true to the original, Abloh’s additions include “AIR” painted on the sole, “SHOELACES” printed on the laces as well as one shoe with bright green laces and zip ties attached to the front, among other variations from average footwear. Having seen some of Abloh’s other shoe designs, the familiar “AIR” and zip tie pulled me in, encapsulating a unique take on the Jordan I shoes — whether it be through additional elements or colours.
Brinco Cross Trainer. By Judi Werthein
With inspiration from and tribute to Aztec, American and Catholic influences, artist Judi Werthein’s Brinco Cross Trainer is more than just a shoe. Packed with insoles stamped with maps of routes spanning from Tijuana to San Diego, hightops to prevent snake and tarantula bites, as well as a compass and light attached to the top laces, and painkillers inside the pouch on the tongue. The piece is a gift that keeps giving, the more you observe, the more intricate details you piece out, as there also lies a depiction of a Catholic patron saint of immigrants, Saint Toribio Romo Gonzalez, on the back.
Aaron Fowler, “Mesus shoe and crown”
When my gaze was first set on this piece, it felt as if a hyper-realistic drawing was brought to life in front of me and constructed perfectly. The installment features Mesus sneakers and a crown by multimedia artist Aaron Fowler. The shoes and crown feature striking red details like the red rubber sole made by a bicycle tire with the iconic Nike swoosh recreated from car bumpers. The piece-by-piece creation, built on top of a Jordan shoe and included a clear nod to Virgil Abloh due to the word“AIR,” was moulded together to create a shoe that keeps your attention planted, taking in each nail on the shoe.
Running for more than another year, the “Art/Wear” exhibit is sure to instill a more nuanced and deconstructed idea of what “art” is. Perhaps, it may even convince you to give a new life to a pair of white Converse — just maybe not with a bike tire.
Leave a Reply