100 Paper Sneakers
Inspired by people’s love of collecting sneakers, 100 Paper Sneakers was a project I created which consisted of 100 individual sneaker sculptures made from textured paper. Each sculpture is a re-interpretation of Nike’s Air Jordan 1, the sneaker that many believe launched sneaker culture in the mid 1980s. Each individual sculpture is made from 23 individual parts - a technical feature specifically designed to pay homage to the number Michael Jordan wore during his time with the Chicago Bulls.
Concepting and Production
100 Paper Sneakers Video
The sneaker represents one of the most complex contemporary clothing items known today. Shoes function as metonyms for individuality and as markers of identity both by choice and unconscious coercion. They are a rich source of information of a person’s age and gender, occupation, economic and social status. Today, people buy the meaning of an object rather than the object itself. What we choose to wear is a non-verbal communication to society about how we want to be perceived by the people around us. Sneaker culture has made the sneaker into an art form. Sneaker fans buy sneakers but do not wear them, instead they collect them and display them at home - just like art collectors. The rich cultural history, multi-layered meanings and worldwide popularity of the sneaker inspired me to make the sneaker into a literal work of art.
