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Thank you for checking in to the third and final post regarding the BATA Show museum. By now you are most likely in agreement that this relatively small museum has a lot to offer!

I will just jump right in and share a little about the 2nd floor exhibit, titled “Beauty, Identity, Pride: Native American Footwear.” It is a subject matter near and dear to my heart.  21 years ago Colin (my husband) and I took beading lessons from Bridget, a Blackfoot Nation member and experienced bead artist. At the time she inspired me to create a pair of moccasins I treasure to this day! Upon entering the BATA shoe museum’s exhibit I am once again in awe of the diversity and artistic interpretations found on moccasins across North America. From minimally beaded and embroidered flower motifs to fully beaded soles and intricate quill work – the collection captivates and has one hunger for more. I am sure you will agree that the selected images are full of inspiration and exhibit great skill.

Climbing the final stair case brings us to the Roger Vivier exhibit on the 3rd floor. “Process to Perfection” describes what is on display for visitors to study and discuss. From beaded to painted, from feathered to ruched and covered with sequins – each shoe is a master piece and draws attention to the craftsmanship and versatility of shoe designer Roger Vivier. Not only was he able to transform the enclosure and surrounding of the foot, the heels command everyone’s attention! From his trademark “comma” heel introduced while first establishing himself  independently to the eye-catching heel of later years, which are straight but widen into a teardrop repeating the sole shape of the  to toe and foot section, his designs are cohesive. For those of us with a keen interest in the elements and principles of design – he truly is a master of balanced composition. The Roger Vivier exhibit is the first of its kind in North America focusing on twentieth century “shoe art.”

I hope you have enjoyed this little side trip and the additional posts this week. It was wonderful to reflect on my experience while preparing the images for upload and attempting to find the words describing my visit to the BATA show museum. Thank you for indulging me!

26 May This entry was published on May 26, 2012 at 4:32 am. It’s filed under Exhibition, History, Journaling and tagged BATA Shoe Museum, beading, fashion shoes of the 20th century, moccasins, Native American foot wear, Roger Vivier, Toronto. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.