Programme 12: Walk a Mile in My Shoes ~ Bedwyr Williams at Beck Futures, ICA

Broadcasting Tuesday 18th April 2006

My Nieces Emily and Charlotte agreed to act as 'guineapigs' and went along to the ICA Beck Futures show with me to have a look at Bedwyr Williams's installation Walk a Mile in My Shoes. The installation was born from the difficulties Bedwyr has experienced in being able to find shoes to fit his size 13 feet. We spent some time trying on some of the various shoes on display- everything from golfing shoes to Elvis boots!

This is what Bedwyr says: “This work is about an aspect of my life that has ruined walking trips, beach holidays, weddings and football games. I have size 13 feet. Since I was 18 I have struggled with shoe availability. The choice in my size is limited. You see a shoe that you like and when the mini-foot shop assistant brings it out in a size 13 it is a strange stretched version of the smaller, original shoe. Each of the 40+ shoes in the piece have been tracked down, none were bought off the shelf. Walk a mile in my shoes is an invitation to share a little of my ongoing shoe struggle. Try them on you’ll grow into them.”

Emily trying on some Nike trainers because she said they were a bit 'me'; Charlotte contemplates the installation (or gets comfy on the 'shoe shop' seating...!); Check out those brogues!



Each pair of shoes has a parcel label tied to it which has a story or some information or thoughts relating to them.

Charlotte tries on the Heartfelt bootees, specially made for Bedwyr by someone called Liz, with a yin yang symbol on each one and a lace with an owlfeather around the top of each bootee. Charlotte particularly liked these and apparently Bedwyr is missing them whilst they are in the show as they are good to wear whilst watching the telly.

We had a look at the rest of the Beck Futures show and there was plenty to see! Works by others on the shortlist include Simon Popper’s reinterpretation of James Joyce’s Ulysses with the words printed alphabetically (one of Emily's favourites); Blood ‘n’ Feathers’ luscious paintings which seek to investigate Rock and Roll mythology (we all liked the paintings- great use of colour and all found the use of text, or hints of it, very interesting); Stefan Brüggemann’s text piece of over 700 possible exhibition titles, an offer to the curators of all three Beck’s Futures exhibitions to choose a ready-made title; Jamie Shovlin’s assemblage of memorabilia of the rock band Lustfaust, part of the experimental music scene of 1970s Berlin; Flávia Müller Medeiros’ video work, Inaugurate (2005), which marries found footage from the film Easy Rider to a recording of George Bush’s second inauguration speech read by an actor in the style of an American car salesman.

Charlotte and Emily were very surprised that Bedwyr's shoes were 'just there' and that you could touch them and try them on- unlike most artworks on display which you are most cetainly NOT encouraged to touch! This added to the appeal of Bedwyr's installation- it was fun and easy to engage with- and therefore actively thought provoking.

Very enjoyable and, of course, perfect Shoe Show material!

The 13 short listed artists are: Blood ‘n’ Feathers (Jo Robertson and Lucy Stein), Pablo Bronstein, Stefan Brüggemann, Richard Hughes, Flávia Müller Medeiros, Seb Patane, Olivia Plender, Simon Popper, Jamie Shovlin, Daniel Sinsel, Matt Stokes, Sue Tompkins and Bedwyr Williams.

Beck’s Futures gives a £20,000 overall award to one artist from the shortlist. This year a public vote will enable visitors to participate in the selection of the award-winner. You will be able to register your views — alongside those of judges Jake and Dinos Chapman, Martin Creed, Cornelia Parker, Yinka Shonibare MBE and Gillian Wearing —at any of the participating venues (ICA, Centre for Contemporary Art in Glasgow, Arnolfini in Bristol) or online at www.becksfutures.co.uk

Good Luck Bedwyr!

The winner is announced on 2nd May and the show goes on at the ICA until the 14th May. Please see the Links section for more information>>>