Knowledge at work-6

Shoes by Turkey’s most famous cobbler – Erol Odabaşioğlu

Erol Odabaşioğlu is today one of Turkey’s most famous cobblers, he started sketching shoes from the age of eleven. And use to make his first shoes by hand, however now he has a factory which is in full-bloom and produces hundreds of designs per year. He can tell you the shoe size of any Turkish film star or singer by just her name. The shoe which is seen in the picture is something that is purely a expression or a way in which he has communicated his perception of a particular design and successfully been able to materialise the image that he drew.

Fashion is an art, which evolves with time and varies from individual to individual. However, how can we define Art? Is it the portrayal of a person’s perception and point of view about a situation merely painted onto a canvas? Or can it be looked at from a wider perspective and can it have a larger range in which it can be communicated. Art is ANY form of communication and therefore cannot be defined to just one particular type or structure, it is a way of perception, and as perceptions continually change, so does the expression of art. An artist’s perception is built through his experiences which in turn entail him to reason out his thoughts and then illustrate them in different ways. An artist aim to elaborate his point of view through his work by allowing emotions and feelings to grow within those who see the art as well. In this situation art has been shown through the use of a shoe. Erol Odabaşioğlu has used the symbol of this shoe to condense the entire Turkish system, including its history, societal background, way of life and the traditions and customs. All this is clearly seen through this work of fashion, through this work of art.

The shoe may seem to be an extremely unusual design for most people but it still comes across as highly elegant. The dark, wooden sole and front in addition to the heel which resembles a red chilli adds to the contrast and portrays a way of life and tradition in Turkey. The elegant shoe symbolises the women and men who live a very fast-paced life but at the same time are known to be highly sophisticated and grounded. On the other hand, the chilli is a symbol for their cultures and traditions of which food and drink play a vital role. The food is known for its spices and tongue-tingling flavours.

Looking way back in time, we see that foundation of this idea has come from the artist’s deep rooted religious background. The religion followed in Turkey is largely Islamic. And part of the Islamic culture, from the time of the Mughal’s has been to wear slippers made out of solid wood. Here too, the shoes have been made out of wood, which shows the importance of rooted cultures in Turkey.

This simple shoe perhaps isn’t as simple as it looks. Just like anything else that we see, everyday. It all lies in the perception of the knower and the way he chooses to visualise what he sees. Each perception is backed by a reason from either personal experiences or other forms of knowledge.