Like New - variable dimensions - 2007

 

»When I first saw the shoes that later became ‘Like New’ in a small side street in Istanbul next to a shoeshine on the ground, I didn’t immediately realize that they were for sale. Polished to a high sheen, the shoes appeared at first glance to be of very high quality despite some misshapen areas, and I was impressed by them. Inside, however, they were falling apart. The leather was bulging and disintegrating as a result of the countless kilometers walked in them by their previous owners. Many people regard their clean, well-kept shoes, however old they are, as a proud possession. They are metaphors for the social disparity in society and testify to the quest for social advancement and recognition. Shoes like these tell stories. ‘Like New’ confronts visitors with these stories without becoming specific. They conjure up a world of associations and ideas as we consider unpleasant aspects of society.« 

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