Artist Shoetree Creates Living, Breathing Sculptures From Old Nike Sneakers

For some it’s terracotta pots, for others it’s ceramic planters, for others still it’s plain old plastic straight from the store, but for Japanese artist Kosuke Sugimoto, aka Shoetree, when it comes to finding a home for his house plants he’s all about vintage Nike sneakers.

Transforming sneakers into sculptures with the help of some green-fingered botanical skills, the shoes represent a process based in deterioration called hydrolysis, which takes around three years to take effect. Inspired by the sight of roots snaking through brickwork and moss-covered derelict buildings, Sugimoto swapped abandoned buildings for hard to find sneakers, using rarities like the Nike Air Max Uptempo 1995 and Air Max Classic 1996 as the basis for his work.

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