Anna Vasof

Gray on Gray. Two legs clad in jeans and winter boots stand on the barren gravelly earth, as though rooted to the spot. Yet a moment later, the feet lift up. Underneath, we see a root system connecting them to the earth, cementing the impression of firmness; however, this is impression is immediately undone as we see the feet begin to walk away, in spite of the resistance. How can this be? A cut, and the environment is transformed; we enter into the world of Anna Vasof. In her four-minute short film Down to Earth, she (or more precisely her legs) models a diverse array of shoes which she has modified with everyday utensils and implements. Her legs are in constant motion; her catwalk is a bright concrete floor. How about moccasins fitted frying pans to cook pancakes? Or lace-ups with an accordion under the soles? Or cowboy boots with wing mirrors? But why choose just one model when Vasof offers us so many further creative and curious options? In Down to Earth, we are caught off-guard by all the innovative applications of shoes, combined with the elaborate mechanisms of everyday objects. With every pass in a new pair of shoes, a catchy rhythm is set in motion, giving the work an additional dynamic, a kind of musicless accompaniment. Vasof’s work introduces us to the fantastical world of her boundless imagination. She also shows us that sometimes, a firm fundament and glorious unconventionality fit together like a good pair of shoes. (Milena Rosa Vasovic)