My artwork represents the individuality within consumerism, how something that has been mass-produced can identify us as an individual. The paintings are meant to be seen as self-portraits in that they are a strong reflection of my identity as they are all my own shoes. What influences me most is Pop Art. The repetition of objects, the bright colours and the cultural references are some of the characteristics of Pop Art that have influenced my work and are aspects that I think are really effective. I started this project by painting the same pair of trainers in different colours until I realised there was minimal meaning to it, and the more I painted, the less sense it made. Therefore I chose to make it more personal and paint my own shoes in their true form as each has their own story.
Firstly, the colours and designs speak to my own concept of my identity at that stage in my life. The variation of the shoe designs and styles reflect the great diversity and changing nature of a young person’s life in regards to their identity. One can follow this journey which means that trainers can be a viable reflection of a ‘coming of age’ story.
Secondly, through my paintings I aim to show the effects of general ‘wear and tear’, weathering and discolouration of the trainers. These aspects tell their own story and could not be replicated in the same shoe belonging to a different owner.
