A Day at the Gallery: “Out of the Box: the Rise of Sneaker Culture”

If someone ever told you your sneakers look like a work of art, their statement now holds some serious validity. To see an awe-inspiring display of history’s greatest kicks, sneaker enthusiasts flocked to the Brooklyn Museum this week to see the debut of “Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture.”

The exhibition, which is on its first stop of a traveling tour, showcases a complete view of the history of sneakers; from the first running shoe in the 19th century to the global sneaker culture that we know today.

The show includes rare archived originals such as Adidas’ tennis shoes from the 1960’s, which shaped into the Stan Smith in 1971, and a pristine pair of 1982 Air Force Ones. The main attraction of the exhibition takes you through the hip-hop, graffiti, and basketball subcultures that had a great cultural impact which started in the 1980’s. An in-depth perspective of the Air Jordan displays twenty-three signature models–all originals.

Today, a decade and a half into the 2000’s, sneakers have become a staple in the fashion world, thanks to frequent sneaker brand collaborations with designer labels.

The exhibit gives a very interesting perspective for not only sneaker heads, but those interested in design, fashion, or simply history and culture.

“Out of the Box: the Rise of Sneaker Culture” at the Brooklyn Museum in Prospect Heights is on display until October 4th, 2015.

By Joe Ro