Banal to beautiful

The weekly micro-decorating newsletter * Issue 10 of 13, F23 *
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Gigantic shoes seem to be everywhere these days. A month ago, in How to shoplift ideas, I showed you gigantic sneakers in the windows of Browns and Atomic Design. Then, a few weeks ago, on a wander through Holt Renfrew to check out their small but well-curated Home section, I came across this spectacle:

At first glance, I thought it was simply a grand celebration of elegant footwear. Then I spotted a sign with information about the artist, piquing my curiosity, and like a magpie drew closer to the shiny attraction:

All at once, the heel revealed itself as cleverly stacked kitchenware:

In fact, the entire shoe is made up of stainless steel pots and lids:

I couldn't help laughing at the suave visual trickery. It's a work by celebrated Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos, who's known for monumental sculptures that riff on the meaning of domestic objects. The metamorphosis from pots to shoe and back again is perfectly situated in the luxurious world of Holt's, where we feel far removed from the demands of kitchen labour. The work's title, "Carmen Miranda," takes us further into whimsy, recalling another transformation of fruit into an off-kilter hat.

As someone who loves uncovering the beauty of everyday objects, I felt a sudden kinship with the artist. Who knew that stainless steel lids could look this glamorous? But sure enough, grouped together and flipped vertical, they're as seductive as sequins.

Maybe we can find this beauty in our homes by looking at things more attentively. Vasconcelos is shaking us awake. We may not have the space or inclination to build mammoth constructions like she does, but surely there are smaller design moves that will help us see our interiors anew. This artist is pointing us to a way of savouring what's around us. It's up to us to take up the challenge.

Elsewhere

Remember last week's article about the Tangle sculpture and how I spotted a version at Aritzia? I assumed the clothing retailer had licensed the famous design from its creator, Richard X. Zawitz, but turns out they went about this solo, leading to a lawsuit. Check out this CBC report from eight months ago for the details:

Aritzia vs. Zawitz: Art theft or a coincidence? | About That

American artist Richard X. Zawitz is suing Canadian fashion retailer Aritzia over metallic-pink sculptures featured in the store’s window displays. Zawitz says the sculptures are identical to work he’s been creating for decades. Andrew Chang tries to untangle the controversy.

CBC

I'm rooting for Zawitz in this epic battle. Let's see if he wins.

Thank you for reading.