This summer, with an exhibition named Tongue + Chic, Phillips brings together an exciting selection of one-of-a-kind sneakers designed by some of the major artists. From 16 July – 31 August, rare gems, lend by private collectors, artists, and company archives are being shown, including shoes that have been designed by Takashi Murakami, KAWS, Kehinde Wiley, Jenny Holzer, Damien Hirst or Shantell Martin.
Curated by Elizabeth Semmelhack, Senior Curator at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, Tongue + Chic aims to celebrate the moment of street culture displaying those arty kicks.
Elizabeth Semmelhack said, “Today, prominent artists are engaging with the complicated cultural significance of sneakers by creating thought-provoking and highly covetable works that straddle the divide between fashion and art. Their work points to new directions that sneakers can take as vehicles for social engagement. From works that reimagine the architecture of sneakers to those that use sneakers to advocate for change, the works in this exhibition show just how far a pair of sneakers can go.”
Shantell Martin’s worn and drawn upon Converse All Stars
Kith x Nike LeBron James XV Long Live the King Part II, 2018
Kehinde Wiley x PUMA V1.10, 2010
Photos via Phillips
