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Student Narrative
What Does a Shoe Mean to You? explores the intimate relationship between shoes and our daily lives. Beyond their function as garments, shoes hold our bodies, meet the ground before we do, and quietly shape how we walk through the world. Worn at the very end of getting dressed, they complete who we are, grounding our identity in something both practical and personal.
From a new perspective, the book invites viewers to consider how shoes can be interpreted differently by each individual. A shoe’s meaning shifts depending on the person who wears it. Routines, memories, culture, and movement through space are often reflected in the kinds of shoes we choose. Through photography, the work slows down our way of looking, revealing details, wear, and character that might otherwise go unnoticed, allowing a new side of the shoe to emerge.
Publication Date
Winter 12-1-2025
Description
Entry for the 12th Baker & Whitehill Student Artists' Book Contest. Opening reception and award ceremony Wednesday, February 25, 2026 at 6:30pm, Fleet Library, 1st Floor Main Reading Room. Juror: Gabrielle Reed.
Keywords
artists' books; Baker & Whitehill
Disciplines
Book and Paper
Student Status
Undergraduate student
Year of Graduation
2026
Major
Graphic Design
Faculty / Course
GD ISP, Franz Werner
Materials + Techniques
100lb text paper and 55lb vellum printed from an Epson ET-8550 printer with dye inks.
Recommended Citation
Seo, Lea Gyuwon; Collections, Special; and Library, Fleet, "What does a shoe mean to you?" (2025). 12th Baker & Whitehill Student Artists' Book Contest 2026. 45.
https://digitalcommons.risd.edu/bookcontest12th2026/45