“And I shall sing about that second realm where man’s soul goes to purify itself and become worthy to ascend to Heaven”
Welcome to Purgatory! After Lust and Seduction, the shoes continue their allegorical voyage through the world of the penitents, climbing through its circles and coming to the circle
of the proud and vainglorious, where “Vanity” rules.
Vanity is a temptress, captured with her arms raised to frame the beauty of her face, her intense gaze challenging the gracefulness of a white peacock that appears to be fascinated by her shoes, rather than the lace gown that wraps around her and fans out like the peacock’s tail. But vanity is also a vainglorious man, boldly self-confident, proud of his trophies, the shoes by his feet, seeming to expect nothing but praise for his handsomeness, as the peacock stands by.
This is the essence of the artistic photographs Spanish photographer Javier Vallhonrat dedicates to Assocalzaturifici to herald the 85th edition of MICAM Milano, the international shoe exhibition coming up at Fiera Milano (Rho) February 11 through 14, 2018, which continues to reinterpret the Divine Comedy in a glamorous version associated with footwear.
Shoes continue to seduce: Vanity represents the human desire for the world’s admiration and praise. All the footwear collections on display at MICAM perfectly reflect these characteristics and exert a timeless, boundless attraction
on the observer.
