Eri Iguchi Nike's Highheel Red Version

Size: 21x27x11cm
Material: Water-based resin, wood

This sculpture, featuring the winged "Winged Victory of Samothrace"—the statue of the goddess of victory—fused to the heel of a high-gloss red high-heeled shoe, is a quintessential piece from Ellie Iguchi's signature "High Heels" series. The word "nike" is repeatedly engraved on the wooden base, subtly reminding us that this widely recognized sports brand name originally derives from Nike, the Greek goddess of victory.

The silver glitter peeking from inside the toe shines as if to bless the wearer's every step, while the goddess statue at the heel appears integrated with the heel, as if her wings have been clipped. Within the elegant curves of the form, contradictory concepts such as "victory" and "sacrifice," and "beauty" and "restraint" coexist, re-examining the symbolism inherent in the everyday act of a woman wearing high heels.

The contrast between the industrial, manufactured texture created by the lustrous paint and the sensual undulations of the drapery on the statue quietly but sharply presents the duality of "adornment"—the idea that dressing oneself can also be a form of self-restraint—a theme Iguchi has consistently explored.