Unwearable Art: Pounamu Ouch!
Medium: New Zealand jade
Dimensions: 180 mm x 90 mm x 170 mm.
Year: 2014
Received a Bronze award at the World Jade Carving Symposium in Vancouver, Canada. Recently exhibited at Objectspace Gallery,Auckland.
I have a love/hate relationship with high heels. They give height to the wearer, lengthen the leg and accentuate buttocks. They are sexually charged and expected attire for the well dressed. Unfortunately high heels are uncomfortable, often painful to wear and difficult to walk in. The extremely high heels in fashion at present shorten and damage the Achilles tendon and can cramp feet leading to later health issues.
The selection of distinctive New Zealand pounamu incorporating the natural colour gradation of the orange rind references the Maoriculture. Spirals in the form of a Maori koru have been carved into the top of the shoe and one in relief on the heel.
On the inside of the shoe a logo Ouch! has been sand blasted indicating a likely response to the result of wearing the shoe. The Ouch! logo is repeated on the other shoes in this mini series; 6 Inch Black Ouch! and Carrara Flats Ouch! These sculptures explore the idea that often women wear uncomfortable items of clothing and shoes to the socially acceptable and sexually attractive. High heels in particular elongate the legs and buttocks in an alluring way but put pressure on feet and shorten the achilles tendon. Fashion heels seem to be getting higher to the point where the wearer is teetering on her toes.