Inspired by a well-known brain teaser; the jigsaw puzzle, 2014.
The beauty of this game is that it is accessible for players of all ages since it can keep the mind sharp and can be played at any level of difficulty. The shoe is made of a combination of materials; leather and jigsaw pieces that have been made water-resistant. When putting a jigsaw puzzle together the focus is on the picture it has to become and not so much on the surface on which the puzzle is laid out. However, it is significant to also look behind the picture where my shoes are concerned. My intention is to integrate the background and the puzzle itself by matching their colours. This has been accomplished by using different kinds and colors of leather. Automatically, the complete picture emerges. When laying out a jigsaw puzzle organic shapes appear. In some places the picture is revealed much quicker than in other. Sometimes pieces are left on their own or in pairs waiting to be interlocked with the bigger parts of the puzzle, the pieces that have already found their place. This way the shoe shows the process of being in the middle of laying out the puzzle. The heel is a pile of jigsaw pieces waiting to be fitted in.
Part of the shoe exhibition ‘History under your feet – 3000 years of shoes’ at the Spielzeug Welten Museum in Basel 18 October 2014 – 6 April 2015.
