KOCHI: Sneakerheads are all around us. For them, sneakers are not just shoes but are an aesthetic or even part of their identity. They collect many pairs as a hobby and don’t limit themselves to Air Jordan, Adidas, or Nike.
Chennai native Brijesh Devareddy is also a proud sneakerhead. Ever since he began wearing one, he hasn’t gone out without customising them. Either with a doodle or spray paint, Brijesh always has his sneaker game on.
However, he took his love for shoes and in-depth knowledge of the growing sneaker culture with art. His exhibit titled ‘Hype the Beast’ curated by Thiruvananthapuram-based Latha Kurien Rajeev is on display at Kashi Art Cafe in Fort Kochi. According to him, this could be India’s first-ever sneaker-based art show.
But when did sneakers, a set of shoes designed for sports become a form of expression and societal status? “Footwear has existed as long as civilisation has. It was always a utilitarian object. But in the past 30 years, that has changed. They got so hyped. The prominence of sneakers is unimaginable. We are living in a world, where people even mug those who have branded and trendy shoes. The exhibition is a social commentary on how this footwear got such prominence,” says Brijesh, who is also an ethnographer, guest lecturer, and entrepreneur apart from being a professional artist.
As you walk in, five different styles of art forms can be seen digital art on canvas, sneaker hieroglyphs, art works on shoe boxes, fake shoes stacked up in a pile, and mini-wired sculptures. The works look like they were done by various artists.
“It was done on purpose. Because I wanted to exhibit the various facets of sneaker culture and my take on the whole thing,” adds Brijesh, who also has a pair of Nike signed by the legendary Michael Jordan.
The constant repetition of ‘Volt Colorways’ (signature electric green-yellow used by Nike) makes it distinctive. A true sneakerhead can relate to the references in the work. Each pattern represents the milestones in the sneaker world, the artist explains.
“There’s Nike ‘Swoosh’ logo, a reference to Adidas collaboration with Dubai’s iconic Pakistani restaurant ‘Ravi’, ‘Michael Jordan number ‘23’, Pigeon Dunks, the palm tree pattern denoting the Habibi sneakers amongst others. The artwork is laid out in the form of Egyptian hieroglyphs,” says Brijesh.
The next wall is all about vibrant digital prints. The famous character Morpheus from the movie ‘The Matrix’ is holding two sneakers. “This is about his iconic red pill blue pill dialogue. The two sneakers are part of the ‘Off White’ collaboration with Nike. The red one is the tribute to the Chicago Bulls, the original Jordan shoe,” says Brijesh.
“The shoes that you collect are no longer pieces of footwear, they are pieces of art and history, and all of them are put together at Hype Beast,” says Brijesh.
Brijesh has also unleashed his creativity even on shoe boxes. The artwork done with black markers dominates the work. “My medium of art was always a black marker. But for this show, I am using everything but black,” he says.
The sneakerhead couldn’t spare colours this time. “All through school, I was just wearing the standard black shoes. The moment I got into college, shoes were all about colours purples, yellow and gold began dominating my collection,” he says.
He adds that sneakers are an easier form of expression. Aside from doodling and painting, he even mixes and matches his shoes and sometimes wears different colours on both feet. “You are putting out your individuality here. I consider the sneaker game as an opportunity to make something more personal than ever before,” says Brijesh.
The exhibition also has mini-wired ‘Beast’ sculptures outlandish with a red heart. “They are my representation of hype beasts. The mini figures refer to those who sold their everything, including body parts to acquire sneakers,” adds Brijesh. ‘Fake It Till You Make It’ with shoes stacked on the wall represents those people who own fake pairs of sneakers.
The art show is on till November 30