Lost Soles

Scientists and beach communities on both sides of the Atlantic have been confronted with the sight of hundreds of unworn Nike running shoes washing up on the shores. Further investigation revealed that in 2018, the Maersk Shanghai lost containers filled with footwear off the coast of North Carolina.

According to the BBC, shipping companies are only required to report lost containers if they pose a hazard to other vessels or contain substances that are deemed "harmful to the marine environment," such as corrosive or toxic chemicals. Although organizations like the Marine Conservation Society argue that products like trainers have a detrimental impact on marine ecosystems, they do not fall under the category of "harmful" substances that necessitate reporting lost cargo at sea.

This project employs a shoe as a symbolic element to create an artwork that highlights this issue. The shoe is depicted as broken and distorted, while the perspective is manipulated to represent the influence of the ocean on the object. The chosen medium for the artwork is watercolors and charcoal dust.