This is a rock I really love,
fits in my hand just like a glove,
my bookshelf is where it's sat,
pensive and grey like an old rat.
I found it on my twenty forth,
swimming in a Lake where I saw
this perfect rock I had to take
knowing that my day it would make,
and believe you me I was chuffed,
with this rock in hand,
and my hair all tuft.
It's shaped like half a heart you see,
the other half still wondering free,
Perhaps in Lake Buttermere,
It rests until it is held near
to a warm and constant beating heart
where it no longer feels apart,
or distant from its full self
much like the rock sat on my shelf.
All posts by hamishcraig
December Poetry: Waterloo Bridge
The clouds were all aligned
as if programmed by someone higher up.
Perfectly silhouetted against the clouds,
the London skyline was allowed to shine,
The city's grand disguise.
For a moment you could forget
it's underbelly,
especially when her eyes were
a beautiful shade of
dark blue.
Yet it's deathly cold waters below
were but a constant reminder
not to let your feet warm,
at least not too much.
Shoe Thoughts: Why Mom & Pop Sneaker Shops Failed
I was listening to Quentin Tarantino talk about video stores the other day. He is not exactly a well-renowned sneakerhead, yet his thoughts about the decline of Mom & Pop video stores had me thinking about the ‘90s sneaker market.
We had the Air Jordan 1 High OG “Lost & Found” drop in 2022, a shoe inspired by the unsold Jordan 1 “Chicago” stock of the ‘90s. Back then the silhouette would hit the sale racks at even $20-40 and still not sell. Thus you would find pairs aging away in the basement stockrooms of Mom & Pop stores out in the US. Mom & Pop stores are just the UK equivalent of independent businesses, an idea that in this day has disappeared off this high street with many saying “support your local”.
Anyway, Tarantino was reminiscing about the time he worked at the local video store, explaining the eventual decline of chains such as Blockbuster. He said that because of the new releases every week and month, the amount of stock that each store would acquire would compound over time. Of course, popular releases would continually get rented, whereas films with a smaller fanbase would fall to the wayside and end up being piled up in the back to make room for other popular releases.
Roger Avery says, “It’s literally a space issue”, in which Tarantino expands saying, “within three to four years you’re literally bursting out of the seams … now all of sudden your tapes are spine facing and it just never stops. If you have a chain you can move things around but if you’re a Mom & Pop that’s just it.”
This is no different to sneakers. However, in the ‘90s there was no internet and online shop spaces, at least not compared to the 2010s and 2020s. This meant that sneakers would eventually pile up and up until they ended up overflowing in the basement.
Similar to the film industry, the footwear industry also worked and works on a constant release cycle, with each month bringing in a new array of drops. This is why shoes would become so heavily discounted to the point where you had the sneakerheads from Japan and other celebrities such as Fat Joe coming into these stores to clear out basements worth of stock.
I thought it was an interesting comparison as I finally realised why exactly these Mom & Pop stores ended up having so much old stock. Even though I worked retail myself, it was a chain where stock was allowed to flow to-and-from the main warehouse (a warehouse which was not only many in number but rumoured to be the size of several football fields). So now I am able to understand these local touchpoints for footwear culture operated in the ‘80s and ‘90s.
The Lost Footprints of Lima
Lima is the capital of Peru. A city that everyone has to fly into to get to any and all of the country’s famous tourist sites. Fun fact: Peru is nine times the size of the UK, which gives you a sense of scale. I have only ever scratched the surface when it comes to what the South American contenent has to offer, rendering me anything but an expert so if you are after such knowledge then this may not be the place for you. That said, what I’m writing about doesn’t require you to leave Lima at all. Better yet, it is free. It is certainly not world-renowned like Machu Pichu or as historically significant as Sacsayhuamán, there is no kudos in seeing it, no bragging rights or boasting to your mates down the local boozer about it … the last of which would likely result in a few laughs on your behalf. Although noticing it is commendable or even noting it would speak volumes about your perceptive skills.
Walking around Lima, it is easy to get distracted by the architecture and distinct energy. For most, this will be your first chance to gather a sense of what Peru means to you, at least as far as city life is concerned. Lima’s pavements, sidewalks or la veredas are like any other city in so much as they get you from A to B. The concrete below your feet that interlinks the large metropolis feels like any other. It is hardly a tourist site in itself, a point I would hardly contest. However, if you’re fascinated by all things shoe-related then the streets of Lima might just be a fascinating space to you.
It had been over two years since I’d had the chance to wander its streets. A persistent mist and elderly men with white beards reading alone made up the mostly unexplored canvas of the city for me. Yet upon this visit, it was neither of those things that distracted me, instead, I found my gaze constantly drifting towards the ground below. Footprints pressed into the concrete pavement were frequent, no longer an accident or detail I could breeze past (pardon the pun). I’d never taken notice of this in any other city, a fact made even more noteworthy as I am someone who has a knack for spotting abandoned footwear (another project entirely). Why were there so many footprints dotted about? What did this mean about Lima and the people who lived there?
Perhaps it was because London’s pavements were built from a different type of concrete, was it that simple? Or was it that the English were too polite? A stereotype of course and an outdated one as London is recognised as a global hub, making it a poor explanation. Maybe it was that the people of London were very adherent to the rules and regulations, the literal red tape that would often surround such a freshly paved sidewalk would clearly be enough of a deterrent … right?
Could it be that the Peruvian government invested more in the public infrastructure? Pouring millions of dollars into the concrete sidewalks of Lima with many of the blocks sectioned off at a time and therefore increasing the chances of accidental footprints happening? This also seemed too simple but I admit there is certainly a logic in this hypothetical. Unlike London, Lima was less rainy which gives the Peruvian people more of a chance to lay fresh concrete … although I think I just made that up.
Was it that Peruvian people, more specifically the Peruvians of Lima, were impatient and therefore more likely to cut corners while traversing the city. Is it just part of the city mindset or grindset? Yet London is a very dog-eat-dog place that has less footprint-covered walkways (this statement is obviously anecdotal as surprise, surprise, I have yet to walk every street in London, or Lima for that matter).
Or was it that the people of Lima were more clumsy and less aware of their surroundings? I could see how consistently great food and weather could contribute to a more laissez-faire approach to life. After all, “watch where you’re walking!” is certainly a phrase that can be heard beckoned by an angry Londoner. Even New Yorkers are known for shouting, “Hey! I’m walking here!”. As far as I know there is not a Peruvian equivalent. This isn’t to say one does not exist as I am not exactly a professor of Peruvian linguistics, if that were the case then I’d have a couple of books to my name.
Was it the lack of literal red tape? I’ve been around Peru long enough to realise that when it comes to construction, things are often not done ‘by the book’. Maybe that book got lost in shipping, left on the shelf or simply not read at all (personally I think it is the latter). Unless under the supervision of some mega construction company, many of the health and safety regulations would end up somewhat flouted. With that in mind, would the tape around freshly laid concrete be completely removed from the occasion? Leaving many commuters around the city vulnerable to concrete-covered shoes. Perhaps there is an inside joke about this among Peruvian people that I will later go on to learn. Here’s hoping!
OR was it nothing to do with Peruvian people at all and in fact all to do with the influx of clumsy tourists. Those jetlagged or broken after walking the Inca Trail would be considerably more inclined to make mistakes.
Whatever the reason, the footprints of Lima are many in number and can be seen sprinkled about. From what I can remember they were for the most part a collection of sports shoe imprints, with few high heels scattered about here and there. It is obvious that it was a vast enough occurrence to trigger a sense of enigma in my mind, leading me to write about it.
I will likely never know or meet the people whose outlined feet are pressed into the capital’s street. I do not mind this, at least as far as the near future is concerned. I cannot however promise that it won’t keep me up at night when I hit the age of sixty. Maybe I’ll be fortunate enough to create a documentary about this one day. You could argue that in a way, these prints are a form of abstract graffiti, one more personal than even your signature. This would inadvertently make Lima a city full of truly unsuspecting Graff artists which although cool, doesn’t fit the bill.
I think there is a logical answer to this mystery but for now I think it is better off remaining unanswered.
If you are ever lucky enough to visit Lima, make sure you look down. If you do spot any footprints be sure to take a photo. Send them in if you do, or if you are actually a part of an underground footprint-based cult then also let me know. But if the cult does any weird stuff then please don’t bother … only do it if it is a space for the hip and friendly!
Thanks for reading this slightly odd thought experiment, one that as a half-Peruvian myself has allowed me to explore my other half (wait that sounds wrong).
England Through Film
“Ahh London aye.” – Me, circa 2023
This is a sentence I would often mutter to myself when wandering the streets of the Big Smoke. That or “Ahh London, the city that never sleeps”. Even though I am well aware this is what they say about New York, or is it Seattle? But they call that the windy city, anyhow. I suppose you could call most Cities around the world ‘sleepless’, with its workforce constantly working through the night to keep the cogs churning.
Whenever I find myself on holiday abroad, specifically in Peru, I watch what I can only describe as England-centric films. Last trip I managed to finally tick off The Football Factory and This Is England, two classics in the eyes of the British. As Danny Dyer continued to bob around the streets of Dagenham and conversations about the Falklands rang through the screen, I was half tempted to pop my collar and shout “You want sum!” at the locals. Luckily I didn’t, as I’m unsure what they would have made of my popped collar, likely confusing it for some lacklustre version of a Dracula performance.
You get the picture, when I find myself in the darkness of night on the Peruvian mountainside, it is not unusual for me to pop in an English classic. On this trip, I managed to tick off three pieces of UK-centric cinema (a feat eventually cut short by the 9/11 Documentaries I became fascinated by but that’s another story altogether.)
These were Withnail and I, A Room for Romeo Brass, I.D and Borstal Boy. Bar I.D and Withnail, the other two were more niche than the other two I had ticked off.
I started off with Withnail and I, a film I’d been meaning to watch ever since Kate Moss had mentioned it on her Desert Island Discs episode as a comfort film. In hindsight, I’m not sure how it could be considered anyone’s ‘comfort film’ but then again, the modelling industry in the ’90s was not exactly a cosy place from what I’ve gathered. Although, there is a certain charm to that film so maybe I’ll warm to it after a few more watches. I enjoyed the film’s humour and the London-heavy feel of the first half, somewhat sympathising with the two main characters in how out of depth they felt out in the English countryside.
I could almost smell their flat through the screen, so kudos to the set design team but all I can say is that I am glad I don’t bump into those kinds of characters anymore. Once I was at a predrinks in Bristol completely sober as I was on medication for tonsilitis when a couple walked through and started cooking ketamine in a saucepan. That is what I was reminded of watching the first 30 minutes, a memory I don’t usually return to in times of peace. Then Uncle Vernon from Hazza P is gay and rich all of a sudden has a questionable relationship with consent… I did like the scene in the country pub though, so there’s that. There’s also a great scene where Withnail tries to cook his boots, which I doubt is a reference to Herzog’s famous shoe-related meal no matter how much I wish it was.
It was clear to me that some of the drug infused dialogue must have inspired Mitchell and Webb’s Sir Digby Chicken Cesar sketches, ones that I believed to be the height of comedy growing up.
Romeo Brass was heartfelt, with the lulls of the midlands accent masking the film’s more sinister tones. There’s not chance that sort of friendship between two kids and a man in his mid-twenties could go on for that long today though, people must have been a bit more naïve in the ‘90s. Sort of reminds me of that infamous Smithy Boy and Crew video from back in the day, minus the heavy presence of a mop fringe and fitted cap.
It’s given me even more reason to check out Paddy Considine’s Dead Man’s Shoes, not least because it contains the word shoe in the title and well you know me. A few years ago a scene where Considine’s character stands up for his disabled brother was doing the rounds on socials, so he must have been typecast as a nutcase for a few years.
Next was I.D by Phil Davis, a film I knew nothing about when I pressed play. Like Football Factory on crack, this one took place slightly closer to home as I spent a few months living next to Shadwell. Cops going undercover to find themselves deeply immersed in Shadwell F.C’s firm, it wasn’t what I was expecting but it was one hell of a watch. Soon I’d find myself shadowboxing in the mirror like a version of Herbo Turbo shouting “Shadwell till I die”, so it’s safe to say Reece Dinsdale’s performance did a number on me. That said, no collar has been popped since the viewing of I.D (only due to the fact I don’t wear shirts or else …).
Last on the trio of Bri’ish films was Borstal Boy, another film I had little expectations of, yet one with a very misleading DVD cover. I did think I was about to watch a prequel to Football Factory, but what I proceeded to sit through was anything other than. All I knew was that Danny Dyer was in it, so it must be alright. Right? Well sort of, it was definitely a film I’d have enjoyed during history GCSE, but it certainly felt like it had a ‘90s TV drama budget behind it. The Irish protagonist was good, and the camaraderie was something to admire but then it got a bit techy when Dyer started lipsing at the end. I guess youth prison is a tough time for suppressed emotions. It was a good watch nonetheless but I do feel like I ticked off one of the weaker underdogs from UK cinema.
Once surprising addition to the British media I consumed while away was Blondey’s new TV series on YouTube. I was impressed by the writing and what I can only assume is a slightly exaggerated version of McCoy himself, it was an entertaining watch. I should have gathered how beyond his years by the clothes he now produces via his brand Thames, as it seemed like he was written as a 21st century take on a P.G Woodhouse character. Although some of the references discussed in the Spanish taxi scene to Santander were lost on me, I could tell that a bigger picture was at play here. If you haven’t given it a watch, I recommend giving it a crack as it is free.
Perhaps it is an element of ‘the grass is greener’ or that after a day of existing, it is simpler to revert to a distant yet familiar space. A space that I am still trying to decode and understand partly through the medium of film and television. With this in mind, I have made a more conscious effort to pick up UK-centric films whenever I see them at the charity shop, which need I remind you is only £1 these days. Sure DVDs have become somewhat unfashionable, but place the disc in one of those zip up folders and you’ve got yourself a travelling cinematic library at your disposal. It does leave you with the task of sourcing as DVD player, but you can cross that bridge when it comes to it.
What Shoes I Wore On My Trip To South America
While my time away may not have been the ‘Grand Adventure’ I wrote about a few years ago, it gave me a taste of what to wear on foot. Heading to Peru and Brazil for just over six weeks, I took 3 pairs of shoes. These were the La Sportiva TX4, Salomon Speedcross 4 GTX and Nike SB PS8. The first two I had already trialled out in my last trip to Peru ‘22 so I knew how they already passed muster, but the PS8 still had a lot to prove.
The night before the flight out I spent umming and ahhing between taking my recently purchased Nike Lava Domes from ‘03 or my just-as-recently pair of PS8s. Eventually, I went with the Nike PS8 simply because they were less likely to fall apart. The Lava Domes I had sourced from Vinted and being over twenty years since they released had me slightly concerned. Unfortunately this meant putting on hold my dream of capturing a shot of me along the Peruvian mountainside that was inspired by the classic ACG advert of the two climbers descending K2. As they say, there’s always next time …
I ended up wearing the Nike SB PS8 until we ascended into the mountainside where I would spend the next three weeks. There I would end up swapping in a pair of Fisherman Sandals I had bought from the Trujillo’s footwear district. These ran me back 120 soles or approximately £20 and had me feeling like a prime Steve McQueen (minus the charm and sex symbol status), a small price to pay considering.
The Fisherman Sandals I wore for the majority of my time in Peru, were similar to our protagonist from Kerouac’s On The Road and how he swore by his pair of Mexican Huaraches. Admittedly, I was clocking in significantly fewer miles on foot, although if we count the number of air miles they tallied up then it could be a close call.
Allowing the tootsies to breathe as well as providing decent protection from any tarantulas crawling about the dark meant the Fisherman Sandals soon became a favourite of mine. Being light enough to carry, I was also able to strap them onto my bag throughout the travels between airports, revealing to me the importance of weight. Romanticising the idea of knocking about in a pair of heavy-duty leather boots during future trips has since become less practical.
Arriving in the northerly beach town of Natal, Brazil would suddenly render my Fisherman Sandals less than ideal. Having a knack for carrying around sand and creating funky tan lines were just two teething points I discovered during my first two days. Not to mention they only helped me stick out like a sore thumb, a fact I tried my best to disguise for multiple reasons. That being said, the Umbro England shorts I wore as swim shorts didn’t aid this disguise.
On day three I’d had enough of my Sandals and wandered into one of the many Havaianas shops along the beachfront. I spotted a pair of football-inspired ones hanging from the racks, a familiar yellow and green beckoning from its spongy sole. At a retail price of 25 Real (approximately £4), they were soon slapping against the bottom of my feet like an old friend (a metaphor which doesn’t really make sense but sounds great).
A week or so later I was in Rio, a city I had longed to set foot in for the past two years. For this leg of the journey, I had booked an apartment about 800 meters from the beach. Here my daily step count shot up and I would find my Fisherman Sandals coming back into action. Getting about the older parts of the city where the financial district and museums were would also mean blending in to avoid any of the more colourful characters and tourist traps. This was also relatively easy thanks to the Flamengo F.C shirt I picked up from the high street in Ipanema.
Once out in the warmer climates of South America, the need for fully protective footwear was less of a concern. This was partly because I wasn’t exactly hiking up mountains each day, although trips into the Peruvian village for dinner at night did mean having to lace up my Speedcross 4s. The longer I can wear open-toed footwear the better, although when it came to steep descents, these types of shoes inevitably fell short.
This leads me to think that a pair of Keen Sandals could be worth trying next time. Either that or a pair of hybrid Fisherman Sandals that has a lugged Vibram outsole glued on. Perhaps even one of the New Balance Niobium concepts however the most minimal section of the shoe usually relies on a slipper-based silhouette, defeating the whole open-toe objective. While I am not seriously considering taking my Fishermans to the Vibram workshop in London to get them kitted out, you do only live once as the famous saying goes. Plus with all the astroturf hybrids coming into fray, I wonder if a trail-inspired Fisherman Sandal is as radical as it sounds.
It goes without saying that travelling for any significant time abroad does mainly concern the climate. For example, my cousin swears by her Salomon XT-6s which she wore for the entirety of her trip around East Asia. Secondly, ‘fitting in’ or not attracting attention plays another major role in the decision-making process.
If you can source a locally-used piece of footwear for a reasonable price, then it not only speaks towards your respect towards the culture you are currently emersed in but it can also act as a symbol of the time spent in said space. That said, if you’re rocking around in a pair of Havaianas and you’re Ed Sheeran, the fiery red hair on the top of your head will likely outweigh your snazzy set of flip-flops… so swings and roundabouts really.
[On a further note, the idea that global popstar Ed Sheeran can simply ‘blend in’ anywhere on this earth is silly – so no type of footwear will help this matter, just in case he reads the blog].
Shoes In Film: Perfect Days
One of my favourite films in the last few years is Wim Wender’s Perfect Days. Upon my first watch, I spotted the main protagonist wearing a pair of GATs (German Army Trainer), the perfect choice for such a character.
Thanks to its sole intended purpose as a military training shoe, the GAT has since been adopted by many fanbases. Whether it’s the Japanese Americana enthusiast, Margiela Replica lovers or just people after practical footwear, the Army Trainer is a classic option for all. Built during the post-plimsole era, the silhouette was an answer to German military personnel looking for a pair that could keep up with the demands of basic training.
Classic lines, a majority leather construction and hit of suede have made this a staple for many, including our main character Hirayama. Certainly tough enough to withstand the rigorous shifts of a Tokyo city toilet cleaner, this is an excellent example of where the GAT is serving a more functional role. As we witness throughout the runtime, Hirayama is a man of few possessions, with his trusty GATs a key part of his work uniform.
In my mind, this footwear-based choice made on behalf of customer designer Daisuke Iga was spot on. Even the white and grey colourway was the correct choice, revealing how meticulous our protagonist is at keeping his uniform clean, a detail made abundantly clear by the bright shade of white.
Other scenes such as the cycle ride with niece Nico show Hirayama putting aside his practical footwear and instead opting for a comfy pair of sandals. Another decision made by Daisuke is that of the traditional slides and how they imply a state of change outside the strict and almost military approach Hirayama takes towards his work. We can also see this through the rest of his outfit and demeanour, not to mention the zen mindset he communicates to his niece – “Next time is next time”.
It is only towards the end of the film in which we see a pair of New Balance 996 in a traditional NB Grey being sported. A shoe which was once a pinnacle of running technology upon its first release, the shoe much like our character is reluctant to cry out for attention.
I have repeatedly watched this film since its release and will continue to do so for years to come – particularly because of the excellent costume design by Daisuke. While the film’s message is totally adjacent to the world of sneaker collecting, it emphasises the importance of looking after our possessions, no matter how much we own. This is a message some of us including myself should embrace.
October Poetry: skY
For the sky was worth marvelling at,
it's clouds,
moons
and starry nights
ever changing.
Much like ourselves,
to constantly shine bright
would leave us fond of the dark,
of night.
(written to Duval Timothy's - Go Without)
Kurt Vannegut on Boots + Music
Weisberg’s Night Rider is a display of ’70s flute at its finest. Pre the album artwork too, only makes the song that much better. If I’m ever cool enough to drop an album then best believe it’ll feature an old racer.
This song was too funky not to include. Came across it on a MAJ Brazilian reggae set where the lady doing the back-to-back kept gesturing a cobra with her hands. She seemed like good energy and this song was doing a lot of the sunny Friday afternoon that I found myself listening to it.
Here’s a Skepta and Novelist rework that captures the silhouetted MCs in what was the resurgence period for the genre. You can just make out the Streetz Iz Watchin’ cap that defined the North London artist’s mid-2010s era, as well as a young Novelist who at the time was championed by all the OGs. Here is the original set for those wondering.
The first two tracks came from the MAJ YouTube channel, as well as coming across another Mellow Grime producer in RONIN. These three songs weren’t available on Spotify, reminding me of how disappointed I get when actively searching for new music outside the platform’s algorithms.
Also here are some words about a pair of boots which really stood out to me while reading Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse 5:
"Those boots were almost all he owned in this world. They were his home. An anecdote: One time a recruit was watching him bone and wax those golden boots, and he held one up to the recruit and said, 'If you look in there deeply enough, you'll see Adam and Eve.'
Billy Pilgrim had not heard this anecdote. But, lying on the black ice there, Billy stared into the patina of the corporal's boots, saw Adam and Eve in the golden depths. They were naked. They were so innocent, so vulnerable, so eager to behave decently. Billy Pilgrim loved them.
Next to the golden boots were a pair of feet which were swaddled in rags. They were crisscrossed by canvas straps, were shod with hinged wooden clogs. Billy looked up at the face that went with the clogs. It was the face of a blond angel, of a fifteen-year-old boy.
The boy was as beautiful as Eve.
There’s a lot of religious symbolism which I haven’t broken down yet. If a boot is so shiny and golden, thus acting like a mirror in which that person can look into their soul. Whether or not that person is pure enough to possess that energy within is to be decided. Anywho, I’ll be looking out for more boot related sections as I read on. So It Goes.
Sticking with the abandoned footwear narrative, here is a cool video of someone putting together images of lost footwear they found in Thailand. It’s only available in 240p as it was uploaded about back in 2019, which in hindsight is no excuse as to why this should be such a low resolution. Perhaps it was an aesthetic choice, in which case I fully respect the creative license. A pioneer some might say, and with a name as cool as “Sill E”, I’m starting to think I’ve stumbled across this era’s Kubrick. You’ve earnt yourself a subscriber Mr E.
10 Abadoned Footwear Projects
Having had the idea to focus on Abandoned Footwear, it recently came to mind to ask Perplexity for some previous examples where this has been the focused topic. One of the most interesting and similar concept was Daniel Bass’ 2004 project, which involved Lost Shoes. An exhibition that also cropped up was that of Chiharu Shiota’s work which initially sparked the idea in my mind. The following is great food for thought and was worth sharing.
There are several notable art exhibitions and installations that focus on abandoned shoes, often using them as powerful symbols to convey deeper social and historical messages.
1. Shoes on the Danube Promenade
Located in Budapest, this poignant memorial features 60 pairs of iron shoes set into the concrete along the Danube River. Created by film director Can Togay and sculptor Gyula Pauer in 2005, the installation commemorates Hungarian Jews who were shot on the riverbanks during World War II. The shoes symbolize the victims’ abrupt departure from life, evoking a strong emotional response as viewers are confronted with the tangible absence of their owners.
2. Thousands of Shoes on Capitol Hill
In March 2018, over 7,000 pairs of shoes were displayed on the lawn of the U.S. Capitol as part of a protest against gun violence, particularly in schools. This installation aimed to represent the estimated number of children killed by gun violence since the Sandy Hook tragedy in 2012. The visual impact of the shoes served to humanize the statistics and evoke collective trauma associated with mass shootings.
3. Hammer Projects: Chiharu Shiota
Chiharu Shiota’s work often incorporates found objects, including abandoned shoes, to explore themes of memory and loss. Although this exhibition took place from March to August 2023 at Hammer Museum in Los Angeles, it highlighted how such objects can serve as metaphors for personal and collective experiences.
4. Walk This Way Exhibition
The Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum features an exhibition titled “Walk This Way,” which explores women’s history through footwear. This exhibition reflects on how shoes can symbolize women’s evolving roles in society over the past 200 years, emphasizing their significance beyond mere fashion.
5. Overboard
This exhibition, held in Washington, D.C., features handcrafted replicas of Nike shoes made from discarded materials, inspired by the “Great Shoe Spill” of 1990 when thousands of shoes fell into the Pacific Ocean. Artist Andy Yoder created these sculptures to provoke thought about waste and consumerism while drawing attention to the environmental impact of discarded footwear.
6. Lost Shoes by Daniel Bass
Daniel Bass’s installation consists of a grid of 135 photographs depicting lost or abandoned shoes, primarily taken in Kent, England. This collection highlights the stories behind these forgotten items, transforming them into a commentary on loss and memory through visual art.
7. Footprint: The Tracks of Shoes in Fashion
Located at Antwerp’s Fashion Museum (MoMu), this exhibition gathers around 600 pairs of designer shoes from the 20th and 21st centuries. It explores the emotional connections between shoes and their wearers, emphasizing individual stories rather than focusing solely on the products themselves.
8. Concealed Shoes in the York Castle Museum
This collection features historical shoes that were hidden in walls or under floors as protective talismans against evil spirits. These concealed shoes provide insights into past beliefs and practices surrounding personal belongings, illustrating how shoes can carry significant cultural meanings.
9. The Shoe Memorial at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum
This poignant installation includes 4,000 pairs of shoes confiscated from victims at the Majdanek concentration camp. The varying sizes and conditions of the shoes serve as stark reminders of the individuals who suffered during the Holocaust, transforming each pair into a powerful symbol of lost lives and humanity.
10. The Shoes Project by Various Artists
This ongoing project features installations across various locations where artists create pieces using abandoned shoes to address themes of homelessness, loss, and social justice. Each installation varies in style and message but collectively aims to raise awareness about societal issues related to displacement and neglect.
These exhibitions not only highlight the aesthetic qualities of abandoned shoes but also engage viewers with profound narratives about history, memory, and social commentary.
wear shoes, write poems 