“Portraits of Shoes – Stories of Feet”
(Temporary Exhibition)| When | 10 July - 30 August 2009 | 10:30-21:00 |
|---|---|
| Where | Gallery 2, Thailand Creative and Design Center |
(Closed Mondays)
Behind each shoe lies a story…
The exhibition “Portraits of Shoes – Stories of Feet” showcases over one hundred different styles of shoes selected by French curator Yves Sabourain in collaboration with Marie-Josephe Bossan-Picaud, chief curator at the International Museum of Footwear in Romans, France, which houses one of the world’s largest collections of shoes. The exhibition is an eloquent demonstration of the inextricable link between footwear and culturally-defined concepts of identity, social class, power and eroticism. As the items on display make clear, shoes have always done much more than just cover our feet. In cultures around the world, distinct types of footwear have been developed to suit different climates and terrains. Shoes have been designed to accentuate the wearer’s sex appeal. Some styles have even come to stand as immediately recognizable emblems of the age in which they were created. Others are intimately connected with the celebrity who wore them. In short, the long history of shoes is a fascinating account of creative genius, skilled craftsmanship, and the innovative use of a wide range of raw materials.
To complement the selection of shoes on display, TCDC has curated a section entitled “Barefoot Siam: A short history of the Thai shoe industry,” featuring a selection of photographs, shoes and shoe-making equipment that illustrate the evolution of footwear, shoe design and shoe manufacturing in Thailand. The exhibition traces a history that begins in Ayuthaya centuries ago, when most people went barefooted in the fields, and ends with the country’s emergence as one of Southeast Asia’s leading producers of quality shoes.
The exhibition also reveals some of the secrets for success in today’s shoe industry. Thai businessmen and women can see how stylish design, distinctive materials, and expert craftsmanship can all give added value to the shoes they make. They can also learn the value of keeping up with the latest market trends and developing a brand with its own unique selling point. These are lessons that, once learned, can help to revive the sagging export sector and restore Thailand’s international reputation for fine quality shoes. The exhibition should also be a potent spur to the imagination, with its fascinating portraits of shoes from the past and the present, from the upper and the lower classes, and from widely divergent cultures around the globe.
The exhibition is jointly organized by Thailand Creative and Design Center (TCDC), Alliance Française de Bangkok, the French Embassy in Thailand, and Culture France, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs as part of French Thai Cultural Festival – La Fête 2009.
Free Admission
TCDC, 6th Fl., The Emporium Shopping Complex
10.30 – 21.00 (Closed Mondays)
For more information, please contact TCDC Information Counter. Tel. 02 664 8448
