The first images of foot coverings were found in cave paintings c. 8000 BC. These bag-like wrappings were probably made of fur or skins. There are even some drawings that resemble rather elegant fur boots. By the time of the Pharaohs, sandals were the 'in thing' and they became the symbol of power and rank. There was a very restrictive hierarchical order of 'who could wear what' and the tyranny of fashion was born.

Today there would seem to be a limitless array of footwear. Position yourself on any street corner and you'll be amazed by the variety of shoes passing by. The ubiquitous sneaker has so many designs and colours that in the space of an hour, you'd be hard-pressed to see exactly the same shoe twice. However, the democratization of shoe ware has a long way to go. Consumerism has made brand awareness and shoe-snobbery a deciding factor when making a purchase and of course the ultimate restriction is the size of your wallet. Still, a new pair of shoes, like photography, is the 'dream money can buy'.

With Nike's slogan 'just do it' ringing in my ears, I set out to photographically capture the essence of the modern shoe and its role as the functional extension of our most tender extremity.

Like most photographers, I almost always have a camera close at hand so this collection was snapped spontaneously as I went about my daily routine. To help define its place within our consumer-oriented culture I've used the graphic language of advertising to create crisp, bold photographs that sell visual tales rather than product.

The photographs capture mundane activities, but by eliminating the most recognizable forms of human communication - facial expression and hand motion - they provide a negative space that the viewer fills in with her imagination, what McLuhan might refer to as a 'cool' image. In this way, the viewer will bring a unique and subjective narrative to each shoe story.

Brenda Hoffert
March 2010