VEBLEN GOODS

One of the most significant artistic project I am working on began on the summer of 2022. This project came to fruition upon a visit to the Museo Histórico Cultural Juan Santamamaría in Costa Rica in which I was deeply inspired by the collection of ‘Caites’ or sandals from 1856. (See image below, I depicted them on the left side of the compositions).

For me, this is THE project that I’ve been the most eager to pursue for two major reasons: I want to explore our notions of what does it mean when objects reflect antiquity with modernity. And, I also want to present a reflection about our culture in the context of different types of shoes that humans have worn throughout time.

With this project I seek to depict shoes in a metaphorical and symbolic manner to make a statement that resonates with the culture, experience, and memory of shoes.

For instance, sometimes a pair of shoes can often be seen hanging from telephone lines on different parts of streets in a city. In many instances, these shoes can represent the presence and essence of other humans, and by that same token, these shoes can also represent other kinds of human activities. I believe that this kind of display has a deep connection about how shoes have interwoven profound meaning for all kinds of people in all sorts of different contexts and situations.

Surely, there’s no doubt that shoes mean so much more today than they used to since their original function was conceived. This is why I find it appropriate to share this project with the aims to spark a conversation about the value of not only shoes in general, but for common footwear and high-priced footwear.

Concept for Veblen Goods #1. Digital drawing.

For context on what inspired me: (The caites assemblage from the Museo Histórico Cultural Juan Santamaría in Costa Rica were displayed in rows of umber colored rods from which they were adjacently poised and suspended to one another in pairs).

Why name it “Veblen Goods”?

The name of ‘Veblen Goods’ is a bold name that’s aimed to be objective for the larger topic of this project. It serves as both a political statement towards modern consumer culture and as a motive for approaching the content of the imagery I seek to produce as a discussion between the ordinary and the exceptional.

Progress of Veblen Goods #1. Depicted in oil paint on canvas.

Veblen Goods is an inquiry about the function and the representation of shoes acting more like conduits of meaning and expression. Shoes (in this context) are not only something that the human body wears for the purpose of comfort, protection, flexibility, and mobility, instead, shoes carry powerful statements about one’s participation on the exclusivity of a commercialized movement.

By this token, shoes are far more embedded into many things that go beyond ourselves like one’s modesty, social status, fashion sense, identity, age and gender. Shoes truly reflect one’s relationship to brand-name products. Therefore, its important that we think for a moment about this rich cultural and material movement that surround us all.

And yes, even I have been part of it, and certainly, I’ve owned many brand named shoes that I still wear on a daily basis, but this is why Veblen Goods serves as a form of scrutiny rather than as deterrent message. Veblen Goods is a project with the goal of viewing a snippet of history of shoes ranging from blemished and worn out sandals next to a sleek pair of sneakers.

Firstly, I prompt the viewer a simple question: Who do you think wore the shoes you are looking at? (In this case, you have to look at a specific pair of shoes from my artwork)

If you pictured someone in your mind or more specifically, if you pictured a celebrity or an influencer with those shoes, then rightfully so, you are witnessing the effect of marketing strategies ingrained by other humans.

As part of this conversation, it’s quite incredible how the value for these material objects are portrayed today. For instance, a pair of shoes can be worth a small amount of dollars one day but upon analyzing who wore the shoe, and who came up with the design, as well as who is distributing them, and what legacy the shoes left behind, then the perspective upon such shoes transform into something that’s priceless.

This is why I want Veblen Goods be intentionally the merging of both world's from the antiquated with its present-day counterparts. I truly feel that shoes can provide a small glimpse of revisiting an extension of ourselves.

Perhaps, there’s more than what shoes can portray, but for now, I’d prefer to let the viewers make their own inquisition about this.