I got blessed with the opportunity to be a part of a project between VIBEarts and the Bata Shoe Museum for a showcase during the Nuit Blanche city-wide art gallery. I can remember the first time I had attended a Nuit blanche event back in 2014. It was the first time I had been around so many people, I felt like a fish in a coral reef or something. The city was alive and on an adventure for art. I have attended a couple more since then, and I had moved to the city. So it is a cool feeling to come around full circle and be a part of an exhibition for this event.
The Parallax Path by VIBEarts is the project, with a focus, of course, on footwear. Since the project is a partnership with the shoe museum here in Toronto is makes sense. And who doesn’t love them some shoes? We all got our favorite pairs, and that’s what this project was to be inspired by.
I chose a pair of modern chuck taylors from my collection, but even more-so the chucks themselves as a symbol. I am a walker. I walk a lot, spent most of my life doing it. That classic rubber trampin’ scallywag. In my younger days I spent many a winters, poor and in foolish footwear trekking through the icey wastelands of the Canadian winter. It was the summer’s grace that kept us going, albeit brief but still… I rocked my chucks 365. Snow, slush, mud, heatwaves, walking to the store, walking across town, walking to another town. By car, by bike, by chuck baby. I always had a pair of chucks; stylish, comfortable and affordable for a young buck. I still keep a pair, as a reminder of the evolution we all must go through. And you can not deny, with the right outfit them baddies are a LOOK.
Another full circle moment with this project, I wore a pair of my very own designed, underbellysociety sneakers to the Nuit Blanche showcase! It was a moment of presence and pride which can often be hard to recognize. But when you do, cherish it. Then keep going.
You can check-out our full collection of footwear HERE!
Nicholas Ridiculous 