Andy Warhol Posters 'n' Pop

Andy Warhol Shoes – Popular Prints

While Andy Warhol maintained a love affair with the celebrity cult throughout his life, he also held a close relationship with fancy footwear. The image of a woman’s shoe was a prominent motif in Warhol’s work, beginning in the early 1950’s. All prints of Andy Warhol Shoes were whimsical and colorful, and soon became very popular. The artist began creating shoe portraits for personal friends and colleagues. He even created a book titled A La Recherche du Shoe Perdu, which he passed around in New York to publicize himself and his work. By the end of the 1950’s, Warhol had made the shoe his dominant theme, and had managed to infuse this simple and functional object with glamour, sex appeal, and true magic.

Showcasing the Shoe
In the 1980’s, Warhol returned to his shoe motif and created a print titled Shoes. It depicted images of brightly colored heels splashed on a black background. Warhol, in true fashion, was producing an icon out of an everyday item. He transformed shoes into objects of desire; just as he did with Marilyn Monroe and Jacqueline Kennedy. He gave them life and personality, thus creating a portrait without an identifiable face. It is also intriguing that the shoes are not shown in pairs, as if Warhol’s purpose was to highlight each shoe’s own unique properties, giving each one an identity. This particular print really showcases Warhol’s past as a commercial illustrator. The multi-colored footwear shows no signs of wear, and could easily be slipped into a commercial advertisement.

A Darker Side
The prints of Andy Warhol Shoes seem to project a subtle, sexual nuance. They appear fetishistic in nature, focusing and glamorizing the foot. The bright yellow stiletto heel at the top of the print really piques one’s curiosity. It instills a certain kind of image in the mind, one of sex, confidence, and pleasure. This print also carries an aura of voyeurism by allowing the viewer to peek into a woman’s closet. It captures the beholder and delivers an electrifying spark.

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