The Joana Vasconcelos series ‘Shoes’ is an assembly of giant shoes made of metallic cookware.
‘Shoes’ is constructed from hundreds of stainless steel pots, pans and lids. Once arranged together, the form of a gigantic stiletto is visible. These shoes have magnetic quality, as they are shiny and reflective. People who seek to see the giant shoes are able to intermingle with the objects and the shoes at large.
The concept of ‘Shoes’ is to provoke the viewer to look past the materials, which make up the shoes and to force inquiry. Why giant shoes? Why use kitchenware? When someone asks themselves these questions it is easy to make the link between gender roles. Women who wear stilettos are supposed to be domesticated and cook in the kitchen.
Joana removes the literal and symbolic stiletto and kitchenware out of the gender role and away from the box women are generally confined to. The giant shoes are enormous in size and message.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Art-inspired Fashion
- Exploring unconventional materials for fashion design, leading to disruptive and innovative fashion trends.
- Gender Role Disruption
- Challenging traditional gender roles by altering cultural symbols and beliefs, paving the way for gender inclusivity and increased diversity in society.
- Everyday Object Sculptures
- Redefining the functions of everyday objects by transforming them into art, leading to a renewed appreciation and re-evaluation of the objects' worth.
Where This Applies
- Fashion and Clothing
- Using unconventional materials to design avant-garde clothing, catering to a market interested in unique and boundary-pushing fashion.
- Gender Studies and Advocacy
- Advocating for gender inclusivity and diversity in society through art and other mediums, providing consulting services to businesses and organizations looking to implement gender-inclusive policies.
- Art and Sculpture
- Creating sculptures using unconventional materials, offering new and intriguing ways to perceive and interact with everyday objects.
