Shoes: an Everyday Form of Art

932 Words4 Pages
Shoes: An Everyday Form of Art A piece of art, in any form, is ultimately something very personal to those who have created it. Art is a personal expression of a feeling, a thought or an idea on particular themes, people or places that have inspired the artist in some way. Art is an individual, physical expression and those who see it from outside of the artist’s perspective might relate to it, create their own meanings about it and perceive the piece of art as something beautiful. An example of art in everyday life is a simple pair of shoes. How could this be if the fundamental purpose of a shoe is to protect the feet and keep the feet warm? Once upon a time, this was the case, however, today a pair shoes has the capability of making a significant fashion statement (Stevens-Heebner, 9).Today, for most individuals, the notion of footwear has evolved way beyond mere practicality (Stevens-Heebner, 9). Shoes with a beautiful, intriguing pattern, attractive colours, quirky accessories and simply the style can be considered a masterpiece. This, however, is merely taking the concrete, what we simply see on the surface, into account. What about looking deeper than what is physically represented on and by the shoe? Many who view paintings and sculptures see the hidden, deeper meanings of the art piece, so it could be argued that the same could be done when referring to a pair of shoes. It could be maintained that there are people who would not consider a pair of shoes as an art form, but rather as a necessity for daily living. For example, someone who is poverty stricken would most likely not care what the shoes look like, whether they were purchased from a local Pep store, if they are second hand or if Vivienne Westwood was the designer. Such a person’s concern may only be that the shoes fulfil the fundamental purpose of keeping their feet protected and warm. However,
Open Document