One Sandal

One Sandal, 2011. 18" x 10" x 9". Acrylic, oil stick, pencil, cardboard, cloth, glue and newspaper.

This sculpture is the lost sandal of Jason. It was written that a man wearing a single sandal would overthrow the false king Pelias from Iolcus. Pelias had usurped the throne from Jason's father Aeson and Jason returned to Iolcus to legitimize his rightful place with the crown. In his return Jason came upon a haggard old crone sitting by a river. The old woman asked the youth to take her up on his back and bare her across. Very nearly Jason ignored her but some words of advice from his tutor, Chiron the centaur came back to him and he helped the woman across the fast moving body of water. This wretched woman then transformed into a towering beautiful goddess, it was Hera and she blessed Jason in his journey.

More pictures continue after the break; please:


 I made the shoe from cardboard and an old t shirt I've had that is basically rags. The ankle straps were made from a cloth handled shopping bag. I then paper mache'ed the construction and painted it. The bone color I chose is to associate with the bones of Grecian architecture the civilization left behind. Their temples and monuments were once brightly colored, but I have white washed it into the classic state of intellect.

I used motifs that represented Hera and Jason, such as the epithet on the heel is Greek for 'cow faced'. In the arch of the sandal depicts the river forded by Jason as he bore Hera across it. The waves of the river is echoed in the toe shapes. The river's name Anauros is present as well as a "J" for Jason that resembles the Nike logo. "Nauticus" is also branded on the soul of the shoe. There are circles that represent Hera's chariot or rocks in the river. The scale of the shoe is monumental (maybe not to some Basketball players) but is meant to comment on the larger than life status of the hero Jason.