Who do these shoes belong to?
What would the shoe size of these little shoes be?
In the middle of the hospital hallway, between the pillars that remind you of the trunks of trees in the forest, stand these mysterious shoes. Someone left them here. What would the owner of these shoes look like? From the looks of it, they don't belong to a baby from the hospital; babies’ feet are much smaller. It looks like someone took these shoes off here and left barefoot through the side door of the hospital.
The artwork was created by Simone ten Bosch. Shoes are colorful and personal. We all wear different kinds of shoes. They can be very striking and say something about the person wearing them. According to ten Bosch, these are the "shoes of a witch of nobility.” Maybe that's why they fit such long thin feet. The shoes are made of cast iron and are ready to be put on. Just like when you finish at the hospital. Shoes on and time to go home! According to the artist, taking steps in life is important. Shoes symbolize these steps. Taking big exciting steps makes you feel strong and proud. These steps help you progress.
Shoes become very personal through wear. Even more than a jacket or pants, shoes take on the shape of your feet. Shoes and footsteps leave an impression both literally and figuratively. A footstep in the sand is much more than just the imprint of a shoe; it is a reference to the person, it shows the direction this person is going, and it memorializes the steps taken in life. If you see a lost pair of shoes, doesn’t it make you wonder who the shoes belonged to?
Text: Emma Mees
Photography: Multimedia UMC Utrecht