In a society where everything seems disposable, photographer Shalee Cooper looks for alternative perspectives. Over the past seven years Cooper has collected twenty-five pairs of used cowboy boots. By buying used Cooper keeps her environmental impact low, but that doesn’t explain the “obsession” that began with a single pair of boots. “When I bought my first pair, I felt more confident when I wore them. It was almost like the person who had them before me left a part of themselves within the boot.” Each pair of boots represents a unique personality and history, albeit unknown, that Cooper finds particularly intriguing. Wearing each pair of her boots, Cooper has felt attached to the previous owner while also knowing that she is simultaneously expanding the story of the boots, the human story. This concept, that by walking in someone else’s shoes—literally–your experience becomes an extension of another person’s vis-à-vis the boots themselves, has given birth to Cooper’s current endeavor, The Heel Toe Project. If we are each the summary of our experiences, The Heel Toe Project offers the opportunity to recognize the connection that we have to each other through shared stories, and thus acknowledges our common humanity.

Having photographed all the boots, Cooper has now decided to part with her collection…well sort of. The boots, twenty-five pairs in total, varying in size, color and condition, will go on sale on September 16th, at 7pm at Misc. Boutique, located at 272 South 200 East in Salt Lake City. This is an exclusive one-night-only sale, after which the boots will be available for purchase online. Each $75 purchase will include a disposable camera for photographing the boots’ journey through the eyes of their new owner. The participants are then required to mail the camera back to Cooper who will process the film and select several images from each participant. These, along with Cooper’s limited edition black and white gelatin silver prints, will appear in an exhibit at Kayo Gallery on November 16th. Through the project, Cooper gets to empty her closet while continuing her relationship with the boots that have obsessed her for the past seven years; the new owners get to walk in someone else’s shoes, and show the world how it feels.

To learn how you can participate and follow the progression of the heel toe project go to www.facebook.com/heeltoeproject or visit www.theheeltoeproject.tumblr.com.

15 Bytes

UTAH’S ART MAGAZINE SINCE 2001, 15 Bytes is published by Artists of Utah, a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.