technical description
Shoes paying homage to handicrafts. Created using a mix of leather types treated with aging techniques. Orange and pink upper with organic lines which blend into the sole made of cuir and wood layers. Silhouette inspired by both clown shoes and construction boots.
Size 315x100x125mm, 525 gr., 2013.
concept
Rustic, worn, clunky. Defying the traditional ways of shoemaking, Aku Bäckström randomly engineers his sculpted forms around the foot, using molded leather on either recycled "aged" plywood, birch or stacked leather. Both misplaced and misfit, with details that are either visible or hidden, balancing volume versus weight, looking at tribal and circus traditions while attempting to bridge the gap between a clown’s shoe and a construction boot. This footwear is intended as a group of individual pieces. Evoking the image of gypsies gathered around a camp fire.