The Increasing Trend Of Artist x Sneaker Collaborations Is Sparking Debates About The
Definition Of Art
Toronto, ON (August 28, 2024) – Bata Shoe Museum is asking the public to contemplate the
question “What is Art?” in its Fall exhibition Art/Wear: Sneakers x Artists. Opening October
3rd, the exhibition explores the growing trend of artists engaging in commercial collaborations,
particularly with sneaker brands that blur the lines between art, fashion, and commerce, offering
consumers the opportunity to buy and wear creations by some of the most revered figures in the
art world.
“Sneaker and artist collabs are increasingly finding their way into conventional art venues such
as museums and auction houses with some elevated to a status similar to limited edition artist
prints.” says Elizabeth Semmelhack, Director and Senior Curator at the Bata Shoe Museum.
“However, the popularity of these collabs can also be seen as democratizing “high” art, inviting a
reconsideration of the intersections between art, fashion, and identity in the modern world.”
Art/Wear: Sneakers and Artists asks why artists are drawn to working on/with sneakers and why
so many of us are interested in wearing these pieces. It also explores the longstanding divide in
Western thought between art and fashion, ultimately questioning if and how our collective
definitions of art are shifting. Topics explored include a history of sneakers as canvases, graffiti
artists and sneakers, artist collabs, and the rise of customization as an art form.
Filling the third-floor exhibition space at the Bata Shoe Museum, the exhibition features
sneakers from Aaron Fowler, Alife, Andrew Mania, Bryant Giles, Cey Adams, Damien Hirst,
Daniel Arsham, Dave White, ESPO, Futura, Eric Haze, Hebru Brantley, Javier Calleja,
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Judi Werthein, Kate Knudsen, KAWS, Keith Haring, Kenzo Minami,
Mache, Michael Lau, MSCHF, Peter Max, Ruohan Wang, Shantell Martin, Stash, Takashi
Murakami, Tom Sachs, Vicky Vuong, and Virgil Abloh.
Sneaker Highlights
The exhibition features the history of sneakers as canvases, graffiti artists and sneakers, artist
collabs, and the rise of customization. Below are a few highlights, which offer visitors the unique
opportunity to encounter some of the most distinctive and limited-edition sneakers.
PETER MAX
Peter Max x Randy Shoes sneakers, c. 1969–1971
In the late 60s / early 70s, artist Peter Max was arguably the most influential artist in the
Western world. His psychedelic artwork was uplifting, counterculture in feel, and yet extremely
marketable. By 1969, he had over 50 commercial licensing agreements. This pair of high tops
features Max’s style, including his signature smiling mouth.
DANIEL ARSHAM
Daniel Arsham x adidas Originals New York Futurecraft 4D, 2018
For his Past, Present, Future collaboration with adidas, renowned artist Daniel Arsham explored
how present objects embody ideas of the past while destined to be transformed by the future.
This sneaker featured a 3D printed sole, branding exposed only by blue light, a specially
designed box that, once opened, cannot be closed again, and included a pair of gloves for
handling the artifact.
KAWS
KAWS x DC Shoes, 2002
KAWS is one of the most prominent artists in the world today. His work which started as graffiti
in New York and now ranges from large-scale paintings and sculptures to small figurines and
sneakers, is as relevant to the art world as it is to popular culture. One of KAWS’s earliest
sneaker collabs was with DC Shoes in 2002 featuring his character Chum. Only a limited
number of these sneakers were ever produced.
RUOHAN WANG
Ruohan Wang x Nike Blazer Mid 77 Flyleather, 2020
Celebrated for her use of colour, commitment to protecting the planet, and her concept of “Time
and Energy Transformation,” Ruohan Wang was invited by Nike in 2020 to collaborate on three
sneakers made using their new recycled Flyleather. Wang incorporated the Chinese phrases ⾃
然循环(natural circulation) and ⼒量与爱(power and love) into the design to convey that the
Earth belongs to everyone and protecting it is a universal responsibility.
MSCHF
MSCHF BWD, 2023
Brooklyn-based artist collective MSCHF, pronounced “mischief”, constantly questions the validity
of our ideas of art and consumerism through their sometimes controversial work. This BWD
shoe is designed to be worn backward. As their description states, “Life can only be understood
backward but must be lived forward. That’s why you need two pairs of shoes, one for living and
one for understanding.”
TAKASHI MURAKAMI
Murakami x RTFKT x Nike Air Force 1 – Murakami DNA, 2024
Renowned Japanese artist Takashi Murakami began collaborating with RTFKT (pronounced
“artifact”) in 2022 when they were acquired by Nike to create avatars and fashion in the
Metaverse. Some of RTFKT’s creations are “forged”, meaning made physical for use in the real
world, like this pair of sneakers, one of only 167 pairs ever made.
KEITH HARING
Keith Haring x Zara, 2024
One of the most famous artists and activists to emerge from the New York graffiti art scene,
Haring was quickly embraced by the art world and used his notoriety to bring attention to the
AIDS epidemic that would eventually take his life in 1990. Since his death, his estate has
licensed his art for various uses including this pair of children’s sneakers. All proceeds support
the granting initiatives of the Keith Haring Foundation.
Art/Wear: Sneakers x Artists opens to the public on Thursday, October 3, 2024. The Bata Shoe
Museum is open Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 12 p.m. to 5
p.m. The BSM is pleased to offer free general admission every Sunday. Indigenous visitors are
always welcome for free. For more information visit batashoemuseum.ca.
Additional programming – including talks and courses – will be announced in the autumn.
