Shoes

At the Bata Shoe Museum, Loi painted a series of many historical shoes, from sandals of African tribesmen to lavish shoes worn by Emperors. As a fashion collector herself, she not only understood that beauty is the result of the combination of form, function, and skill, but also the cultural meaning that was attached to each shoe.

From the high red heel worn only by those with political priviledge during the reign of King Louis the 14th, to the boots of an Alaskan hunter that aided in communication with animal spirits, and the protective symbolism of Chinese children’s shoes, Loi’s fascination with the many dimensions of footwear created a wonderful series of sensitive watercolours.