Before we close our venue at the end of May for refurbishments, Stanley Picker Design Fellow Marloes ten Bhömer will be spending a week in the Gallery developing a series of film tests produced as part of her research into the cultural positioning of the high-heel, and hosting an open discussion to conclude the week’s activities.
The high-heeled woman is a complex construct; one designed for, and ultimately sanctioned to, the man-made environment. When placed (through the narrative of a film, for example) in alternative settings, or when forced to walk through unique substrates, she loses equilibrium – both physically and culturally – and begins to slip, fall, sink, tumble, crawl and sweat. The film tests will depict the physical effects upon a woman walking in high-heels and in various materials, from coal to sand to goo, and ten Bhömer invites the audience to consider the identity that each material might impose upon the woman.
A compilation video of research footage will accompany the discussion.
Contact our Participation Programmer Natalie Kay on n.kay@kingston.ac.uk or 020 8417 4074 for more information.