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Swire Properties and Victoria and Albert Museum, London to Debut ‘Shoes: Pleasure and Pain’ an Exhibition organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, in Asia

04 Sep 2017

Swire Properties and Victoria and Albert Museum, London to Debut ‘Shoes: Pleasure and Pain’ an Exhibition organized by the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, in Asia

HKRI Taikoo Hui in Shanghai to host this critically-acclaimed exhibition in September,

before it travels to Chengdu, Guangzhou, Beijing and Hong Kong


Swire Properties is partnering with the Victoria and Albert Museum, London (V&A), the world’s leading museum of art and design, to bring the critically-acclaimed exhibition – ‘Shoes: Pleasure and Pain’ (Chinese title 鞋履:樂與苦展覽), to Asia for the first time.

‘Shoes: Pleasure and Pain’ explores how shoes can cause both pain as well as pleasure for the wearer; and more importantly, how footwear choices reflect human and societal behaviour. Featuring over 140 pairs of shoes from around the world and from as far back as the 1370s, visitors can also admire footwear created by iconic designers or items worn by international celebrities, and dive into the fascinating world of the shoe collector.

This touring V&A exhibition will debut in Shanghai at the newly opened HKRI Taikoo Hui – a joint venture between HKR International and Swire Properties – from 22 September to 5 November 2017. The exhibition will then make its way next year to Sino-Ocean Taikoo Li Chengdu, TaiKoo Hui in Guangzhou, Taikoo Li Sanlitun in Beijing, before finally finishing its tour at Pacific Place in Hong Kong.

Alvin Kong, Director of Retail at Swire Properties, said, “We’re very excited to be partnering with V&A, the world’s leading museum of art and design, to bring the truly unique ‘Shoes: Pleasure and Pain’ exhibition to five of our shopping malls in Mainland China and Hong Kong. This exhibition is a great example of Swire Properties’ commitment to offering world-class events at our developments, for the local community and visitors to enjoy, which will also raise the retail experience to new heights.”

Alex Stitt, Director of Commercial & Digital Development of the V&A, added, “Shoes are a universal language, connecting everyone across cultures and continents; every individual has their own unique, special memory of shoes. We’re thrilled to be working with Swire Properties to bring this exciting exhibition to Mainland China and Hong Kong, and specifically through shopping malls; creating a brand new experience for visitors outside of museum walls.”

‘Shoes: Pleasure and Pain’ At A Glance

This exhibition comprises five sections: Transformation, Status, Seduction, Creation and Obsession. The V&A’s shoe collection is unrivalled; objects on display include footwear from around the globe (Africa, Asia, Europe, the Middle East and North America).

‘Shoes: Pleasure and Pain’ is curated by Helen Persson, who uses the collection to explore the transformative power of footwear; and how, more than any other aspect of dress, it has been used to express personality and capture identity.

For modern day shoe-lovers, this exhibition will be a unique opportunity to experience first-hand the iconic designs of Salvatore Ferragamo, Yves Saint Laurent, Christian Louboutin, Jimmy Choo, Vivienne Westwood, Roger Vivier, Karl Lagerfeld and Zaha Hadid. There will also be a host of additional exhibits, ranging from sketches and accessories to shoe lasts, including those of Charlie Chaplin, Paul Newman, Princess Diana and Dita Von Teese.

Visitors can also admire footwear owned by or associated with high profile figures including David Beckham,

Kylie Minogue, The Queen Mother and Elton John; and see the notorious pair of Vivienne Westwood platforms that caused supermodel Naomi Campbell to stumble on the catwalk in 1993.

The final section of the exhibition, Obsession, will immerse visitors in the world of the shoe collector. Co-curated by Swire Properties and the V&A, this section will explore the private collection of a local public figure.

More details will be announced in the coming weeks.

Gallery

.Velvet sandal, 1800-1893 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

.Women's paduka, 1800–1900 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

.Chopines, ca.1600 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

.Salvatore Ferragamo, Rainbow sandal, 1938 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

.Coxton Shoe Company Ltd., Men’s marbled Oxfords, ca. 1925 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

.Caroline Groves, ‘Parakeet’ shoes, England, 2014 Photography by Dan Lowe

.NOVA, by Zaha Hadid for United Nude, 2013 © Image Courtesy of United Nude

.Shoes for bound feet, 1800–1900 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

.Roger Vivier for Christian Dior, 1958–60 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

.Pair of Pattens © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

.'Scotty' Boots, Atalanta Weller © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

.A pair of qabqab © Victoria and Albert Museum, London