The shoe is the archetypical fetish object.
The Chelsea Art club in the UK held a show that had a combination auction burlesque show of artists decorated shoes called” Fu*k Me” Shoes in 2006.
There were many contributing artists such as David Shrigley, who also had an exhibition entitled” Big Shoes” in 2013
Traditionally Pope’s have worn red shoes. Cardinal’s robes are red, the colour of blood symbolising a commitment to defend the church to death. Red is also the colour of powerful rulers,kings and emperors, symbolises the blood of Martydom and fire and also the holy spirit.
Red also represents the protection of destruction and death and was used by the Israelites, who painted their doorposts red with the blood of lambs at Passover to protect themselves from the Angel of Death.
I have made a pair of shoes out of wire and sprayed these with red paint which I have entitled” La Papessa” (The Popess). These shoes are the contemporary alternative of a traditional pope’s shoe. These are very obviously female but with quite phallic heels.
I like to think of the popess’s shoes giving the illusion of her walking naturally whilst at the same time shortening her step, giving the feeling of speed whilst suggesting the promise of an imminent fall.
The church seems to fear powerful women with the persistent tradition of priestly celibacy resulting in a hatred of women. The shoes give the impression of rising above all these prejudices, while at the same time suggesting an air of domination as well as subserviance.
Yinka Shonibare was another artist I studied whilst doing my Dissertation. Although there are many I admire I think he is quite probabally a favorite of mine.
Yinka Shonibare MBE is well known for his exploration of colonialsim and post colonalism and cultural Identity, using richly patterned Dutch Wax printed fabric to Africanise Images such as the old Master Paintings , for example Thomas Gainsboroughs Mr and Mrs Andrews ,and also photographs such as the diary of The Victorian Dandy based on a series of works by William Hogarth that depicted characters encountering some sort of social evil: In Shonibare version, the artist also appears as a photographic version of Oscar Wildes character Dorian Grey.
Addio del Passato is one of the many works of this artist, I have picked this particular image “The Fetish Boots”2011” they are among various works and media exploring themes of desire, yearning, desire,love, power and sexual repression.
Grayson Perrry is one of the artists I studied when writing my dissertation.
This Image is a etching of his entitled the The map of Nowhere it is based on a famous example, The Ebstorf Map, which was distroyed in the second world war. It showed Jesus as the body of the world with his head,hands and feet marking four equal points around the circle
I am in the process of improving one of my existing Installations, and thinking about some of my research which so far has considered religious rituals, mythology and folklaw.
For example, did you know that a “wicca” circle is a circle of protection, cast to create a sacred place? In my research into Pope Joan, this is fitting as it could be the place where she protects her true identity?
The use of the white sea salt to create the circle could represent purity. Salt is also a preservative, it protects but by the same measure if it becomes contaminated, it then becomes corrosive.
Within the circle I have placed the high heel shoes. The high heel has been used to represent gender, class race and ethincity. Both the “foot” and the “shoe” have been powerful phallic and fertility symbols,as evidenced in the practice of tying shoes to the back of the cars of newly wed’s.
The high heel represents also power. Historically, fashionable shoes were popular for both sexes and people who had authority or wealth were often reffered to as “well healed”.
Now there’s some real insight!!
