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Well-heeled

Artist's Book
1985 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Susan Johanknecht was inspired to create 'Well-heeled' when working at an exclusive shoe-shop in Covent Garden. She became fascinated by people's obsessions with shoes, and the pain and expense they would go to to own them. 'Well-heeled' is a celebration of this obsession, acknowledging that shoes can be beautiful objects as well as recognising the sense of ridiculousness that surrounds the desire for luxury footwear.

The text, written by Julie O'Callaghan, narrates the thoughts of a designer shoe addict; finding the right shoes for the right occasion, choosing shoes to represent a state of mind, buying shoes as a form of therapy, wearing shoes to make a specific statement.

The book takes the form of six separate folded sheets, each one printed with a black and white lithograph depicting an exotic pair of shoes. These pages are wrapped in layers of pink and white tissue paper and housed in a white box with a hinged lid, similar to a shoe box. The act of lifting out each folded sheet from this packaging mimics that of lifting out pairs of shoes, causing the reader to take on the role of shoe obsessive.

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Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleWell-heeled (assigned by artist)
Materials and techniques
Printed book, lithographs
Brief description
Artist's book, 'Well-heeled' by Julie O'Callaghan, Gefn Press, London, 1985
Physical description
Six separate folded sheets, each one printed with a black and white lithograph depicting an exotic pair of shoes. These pages are wrapped in layers of pink and white tissue paper and housed in a white box with a hinged lid, similar to a shoe box.

6 pages
Dimensions
  • Height: 34cm
Summary
Susan Johanknecht was inspired to create 'Well-heeled' when working at an exclusive shoe-shop in Covent Garden. She became fascinated by people's obsessions with shoes, and the pain and expense they would go to to own them. 'Well-heeled' is a celebration of this obsession, acknowledging that shoes can be beautiful objects as well as recognising the sense of ridiculousness that surrounds the desire for luxury footwear.

The text, written by Julie O'Callaghan, narrates the thoughts of a designer shoe addict; finding the right shoes for the right occasion, choosing shoes to represent a state of mind, buying shoes as a form of therapy, wearing shoes to make a specific statement.

The book takes the form of six separate folded sheets, each one printed with a black and white lithograph depicting an exotic pair of shoes. These pages are wrapped in layers of pink and white tissue paper and housed in a white box with a hinged lid, similar to a shoe box. The act of lifting out each folded sheet from this packaging mimics that of lifting out pairs of shoes, causing the reader to take on the role of shoe obsessive.

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Other number
X891069 - NAL Pressmark
Collection
Library number
38041988014502

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Record createdMarch 24, 2014
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