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Cutting Edges

Cutting Edges

Watch TV report on the Cutting Edges exhibition

A sole baked in a waffle iron. An almost sculpted heel from a 3D scanner and printer. A spectacular boot made from reused athletic shoes. The exhibition CUTTING EDGES in the award-winning Shoe Quarter building, explores and pushes the boundaries of contemporary shoe design and making. Recent developments such as 3D printing and reusing old sneakers challenge the existing dynamics of the age-old craft. The exhibition sheds light on how shoes can be made and redefines the way we design, produce and use them. To explore these new perspectives within the Shoe Quarter's "Make Lab," six makers were given access to this workshop: Julien Chaintreau, Peterson Stoop, SKUA Studio, Suzanne Oude Hengel, Ruben Warnshuis, and Tidhar Zagagi.And the results are startling. The exhibition will be on view from May 2 through September 17, 2023.


MORE SUSTAINABLE, INCLUSIVE AND LOCAL

In collaboration with the craftsmen of the Shoe Quarter, the young but often already successful designers have combined existing and new techniques to produce tantalizing insights and surprising outcomes. These experiments, shown in relation to the museum's current collection, illustrate their views of what a shoe can be: more sustainable, inclusive and local.

STIMULATING VIEW OF FAMILIAR AND NEW

By showing small-scale pairings between familiar and modern techniques, CUTTING EDGES offers a fresh look at a profession that is still deeply intertwined with its history. A view in which space for experimentation and reflection offers new possibilities and stimulating opportunities for the industry, its makers and users. The whole is strongly designed by Envisions. This design collective from Eindhoven signed for the scenography of CUTTING EDGES. They also design exhibitions for the Textielmuseum in Tilburg and the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, among others.

VERRASSING PODIA

Each of the six designers literally has their own "stage" on the second floor of the museum. On that stage, we see the designs, pieces and parts the designers have made. These can be samples or complete shoes. Through a surprising way of exhibiting, the visitor gets a glimpse into the work of each designer and ultimately his or her thinking behind it.

SELF PARTICIPATE

Throughout the duration of CUTTING EDGES, there will be a variety of opportunities at the museum to participate in or watch yourself making shoes in surprising ways. At fixed times in the Make Labs, experts from the museum and designers are at work with the machines of the Shoe Quarter and everyone can participate. These include projects around recycling, hand stitching, 3D scanning and 3D printing and how to digitally design a shoe.

SHOE QUARTER IS UNIQUE IN THE WORLD

Curator Marijke Bruggink is proud of the result of CUTTING EDGES; "We in the Netherlands can really be proud of this Schoenenkwartier. A museum like this in the field of shoes and leather does not exist in the whole world. This exhibition in particular illustrates that very well. We have a wonderful collection in a fantastic building, but also the 'Make Labs' in which schools, designers, industry and visitors meet. In these Maaklabs we have machines that can be used by the professionals, often in combination with our own experts and craftsmen. Visitors are allowed to watch, who see what is happening and can also sign up for workshops. Schools can also sign up for future programs. For example, starting in October this year, we will engage in Cuir Bouilli, leather that is cooked and then pulled around a mold, giving it a very solid shape. An ancient technique that we will link to the "now. So from armor, shields from ancient times to corsets to new applications.'

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE CURATOR MARIJKE BRUGGINK

Marijke Bruggink is an accomplished shoe designer herself. Her craftsmanship of more than 30 years stems from both a shoe making and art education. She developed the Lola Pagola brand and worked for Clarks Originals for more than 10 years as a designer and research developer. She combines craft and innovation and has extensive industry knowledge. The Make Labs have stolen her heart because here everything she finds important in the footwear business comes together; design, inventiveness of makers, complexity of craft and sustainability.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE MAAKLABS

Schools, designers, industry and visitors meet in the 'Maaklabs'. In the Maaklabs there are machines that can be used by the professionals, often in combination with the experts and craftsmen of the Shoe Quarter. Making a shoe requires many small operations. In the Maaklabs, it's about simplification, modular construction and using different materials. It is a place to share knowledge, to deepen it. Visitors are allowed to watch, who see what is happening and can also sign up for workshops. Schools can also sign up for programs.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION ABOUT THE SCHOENKWARTIER

Stichting Schoenenkwartier; museum, knowledge center & maaklabs", in short the Schoenenkwartier interactively connects the present with the past and future of the leather and shoe industry. It features a permanent display of a selection of the collection of more than 13,000 shoes and 7,000 objects, inspiring temporary exhibitions in an award-winning building. For more information about the Shoe Quarter: www.schoenenkwartier.nl

BACKGROUND INFO ON THE EXHIBITION CUTTING EDGES


Opening:
May 11, 2023

Dates:
May 2 - Sept. 17, 2023

Location:
Schoenenkwartier - Maaklab
Raadhuisplein 1
5141 KG Waalwijk
Netherlands

Trustee:
Marijke Bruggink

Scenography:
Envisions

Partners:
The Friends of the Museum
Municipality of Waalwijk

Photography:
Ronald Smits, for Envisions

Julien Chaintreau - Our current society is flooded with a plethora of high-tech sneakers. Julien Chaintreau emphasizes the responsibility everyone has when buying a new pair of shoes. He found inspiration in an iconic Wallabee moccasin. He analyzed this shoe by studying its history and construction. He described a process for reusing and remaking each part, which reads almost like a recipe: from the amount of pattern pieces needed to baking your own shoe sole. Julien was invited to be a guest at the Shoe Quarter's Bodehuisje, to share his installation with the visiting public but also to further research these "ingredients," focusing on the "ground" materials that can be used for the recipe of making the sole, and then baking it in his waffle iron.
Julien Chaintreau - Our current society is flooded with a plethora of high-tech sneakers. Julien Chaintreau emphasizes the responsibility everyone has when buying a new pair of shoes. He found inspiration in an iconic Wallabee moccasin. He analyzed this shoe by studying its history and construction. He described a process for reusing and remaking each part, which reads almost like a recipe: from the amount of pattern pieces needed to baking your own shoe sole. Julien was invited to be a guest at the Shoe Quarter's Bodehuisje, to share his installation with the visiting public but also to further research these "ingredients," focusing on the "ground" materials that can be used for the recipe of making the sole, and then baking it in his waffle iron.
Peterson Stoop - Design duo Peterson Stoop takes apart iconic vintage sneakers and mixes them with natural materials such as cork and leather. There's a lot involved in this: used shoes are thoroughly cleaned, taken apart, re-set on a last and fitted with new soles. By producing ethical footwear, Peterson Stoop aims to steer the industry toward a more sustainable future. In addition, their way of working gives people insight into reusing and caring for shoes. For the Maaklab project, Jelske Peterson and Jarah Stoop researched the existing museum collection and selected a shoe from it that inspired them to apply the Peterson Stoop identity and production method to it: linking sustainability, reuse and classic shoemaking techniques to a new vision.
Peterson Stoop - The design duo Peterson Stoop takes apart iconic vintage sneakers and mixes them with natural materials such as cork and leather. There's a lot involved in this: used shoes are thoroughly cleaned, taken apart, re-set on a last and fitted with new soles. By producing ethical footwear, Peterson Stoop aims to steer the industry toward a more sustainable future. In addition, their way of working gives people insight into reusing and caring for shoes. For the Maaklab project, Jelske Peterson and Jarah Stoop researched the existing museum collection and selected a shoe from it that inspired them to apply the Peterson Stoop identity and production method to it: linking sustainability, reuse and classic shoemaking techniques to a new vision.
Suzanne Oude Hengel - As a textile researcher and shoe innovator, Suzanne Oude Hengel focuses on combining knitting techniques, industrial production and digital design methods. The Maaklab offers opportunities to further develop knitting trials into shoes by professionally connecting the knitted upper to a sole. For this Maaklab project, Suzanne Oude Hengel went about processing her textile material experiments and samples with the ströbel machine. The ströbel construction means: stitching the upper directly to the insole. This keeps the shoe flexible. This machine is special addition to the Make Lab - few makers have access to a ströbel. This project is an example of how to work with a knitted and textile shoe uppers in a manual way.
Suzanne Oude Hengel - As a textile researcher and shoe innovator, Suzanne Oude Hengel focuses on combining knitting techniques, industrial production and digital design methods. The Maaklab offers opportunities to further develop knitting trials into shoes by professionally connecting the knitted upper to a sole. For this Maaklab project, Suzanne Oude Hengel went about processing her textile material experiments and samples with the ströbel machine. The ströbel construction means: stitching the upper directly to the insole. This keeps the shoe flexible. This machine is special addition to the Make Lab - few makers have access to a ströbel. This project is an example of how to work with a knitted and textile shoe uppers in a manual way.
SKUA Studio - SKUA is a start-up label, by Naomi Hille and Anousjka Röben, that focuses on making handmade, sustainable shoes. The shoe design duo has a strong signature of their own and are known for their distinct use of colors and shapes. With a fashion background combined with shoemaker training, SKUA's entire line is produced in-house. Using classic shoemaking techniques, they create bold, bright and clean designs without losing comfort. With this Maaklab project, SKUA would like to combine their knowledge of classic techniques with innovative techniques such as 3D scanning and 3D printing. In doing so, they are curious to see if the techniques can be used outside of industry so that productions can remain small-scale. The projects also offer the public insight into new ways of making models.
SKUA Studio - SKUA is a start-up label, by Naomi Hille and Anousjka Röben, that focuses on making handmade, sustainable shoes. The shoe design duo has a strong signature of their own and are known for their distinct use of colors and shapes. With a fashion background combined with shoemaker training, SKUA's entire line is produced in-house. Using classic shoemaking techniques, they create bold, bright and clean designs without losing comfort. With this Maaklab project, SKUA would like to combine their knowledge of classic techniques with innovative techniques such as 3D scanning and 3D printing. In doing so, they are curious to see if the techniques can be used outside of industry so that productions can remain small-scale. The projects also offer the public insight into new ways of making models.
Ruben Warnshuis - "Industrial Devolution" is a counterpoint to our disposable culture and automation. "We do less and less ourselves, creating a greater distance between producer and consumer. My statement is that this results in apathy." Out of curiosity about the other end of the spectrum, Ruben therefore created a low-tech workshop where anyone can weave shoes from rope themselves in four steps. Being able to use whatever material is around, each shoe becomes a reflection of the maker's environment. With "Industrial Devolution," he shows that we ourselves can simplify the production of complex products. This will hopefully make us cherish our skills and our assets more. During the months of August and September, Ruben continued working on this concept in the Shoe Quarter's Make Lab, using the knowledge and expertise of the Shoe Quarter.
Ruben Warnshuis - "Industrial Devolution" is a counterpoint to our disposable culture and automation. "We do less and less ourselves, creating a greater distance between producer and consumer. My statement is that this results in apathy." Out of curiosity about the other end of the spectrum, Ruben therefore created a low-tech workshop where anyone can weave shoes from rope themselves in four steps. Being able to use whatever material is around, each shoe becomes a reflection of the maker's environment. With "Industrial Devolution," he shows that we ourselves can simplify the production of complex products. This will hopefully make us cherish our skills and our assets more. During the months of August and September, Ruben continued working on this concept in the Shoe Quarter's Make Lab, using the knowledge and expertise of the Shoe Quarter.
Tidhar Zagagi Pixel Shoes are custom-made shoes in the middle of the street; customized kicks for passersby. Utilizing the speed and plasticity of PU foam, the customer leaves in no time with an affordable, ergonomic shoe. The molded-on PU sole fuses with the customer's sock and follows the unique shape of each person's foot. A continuation of the Pixel Shoe concept is a new model, working with a 3D printed mold in 4 parts that is placed around a knitted upper and molded. Tidhar printed a new mold in the Shoe Quarter's Make Lab and used Suzanne Oude Hengel's experimental new sock models to mold these new soles.
Tidhar Zagagi Pixel Shoes are custom-made shoes in the middle of the street; customized kicks for passersby. Utilizing the speed and plasticity of PU foam, the customer leaves in no time with an affordable, ergonomic shoe. The molded-on PU sole fuses with the customer's sock and follows the unique shape of each person's foot. A continuation of the Pixel Shoe concept is a new model, working with a 3D printed mold in 4 parts that is placed around a knitted upper and molded. Tidhar printed a new mold in the Shoe Quarter's Make Lab and used Suzanne Oude Hengel's experimental new sock models to mold these new soles.
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In 27 steps, you are taken through the making of a pair of shoes from the tanning process onwards.

The semi-permanent exhibition How It's Made offers a fascinating glimpse into the world of leather and shoe production Then, Now and Later. In 27 steps, visitors are taken through the making of a pair of shoes starting from the tanning process.

Shoe and Quarter

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Shoe and Quarter

Shoe and Quarter

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+31 (0) 416 33 27 38
[email protected]

Shoe and Quarter

Website design: The Invisible Party
Website development: JRS-Webdesign

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