Posted: August 23rd, 2012
A World of Shoes
Did you know that the tradition of drinking from a woman's shoe started in Chicago? And that King Tut may have worn orthopedic footwear? People's shoes tell us a great deal about who they are...or who they would like to be. From September 4, 2012 to February 10, 2013, the Museum will explore this fascinating subject in the Campbell Gallery exhibit A World of Shoes.
The main themes of the exhibit-Sports, Style, Soul, Service, Substance, Self, and Sensuality-bring to light many facets of what shoes mean around the world. What do the materials used to make the shoe tell us about the culture? Does the design of the shoe make it easy or hard to walk in? How does a shoe's construction help a person in a dangerous occupation? How do advances in technology change what we wear?
Through the contributions of museums, organizations, and individuals from Florida to Hawai'i, A World of Shoes offers a wonderful variety of shoes to see and learn more about. Among the smallest shoes on display are lotus shoes, worn in China by women with bound feet. Some of the largest footprints are made by clown shoes worn by renowned clown Emmett Kelly when portraying his Weary Willie character. Beautiful examples of leather mosaic work can be found on leather boots from Russia, and silver heels by Jimmy Choo shine in the Style section.
A series of events is planned in conjunction with the exhibit. The first is the grand opening celebration on September 16 from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, which features gallery explorations, refreshments, and a performance by tap dancer Jimmy Payne, Jr. and his troupe. Watch our calendar of events for more!