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Shoes that make everyone
the same height
By Lisa Smith - Mar 22, 2010
Berlin-based artist Hans Hemmert (famous for his work with balloons) threw a party where guests wore shoe-extenders to make them all the same height of 2 meters. Aside from bringing the partygoers all to a common eye level (and eliminating the awkward postures of party talk between the tall and the short), the gathering is lent an infographic nature by the shoes: all made from blue foam, the person's real height is read in the visual uniformity of the sole instead of at the head—like a walking bar graph.
This (completely underpublished) project, entitled "Level," is from 1997, produced for the Personal Absurdities show at the Galerie Gebauer Berlin. Finding it now, in 2010, I can't help but read it as a design event, getting directly at the basic qualities that shape our interactions with others—what does it mean when we all share one height?
Hans Hemmert is part of the art collective Inges Idee. Check out their site for more amazing projects in public space.
Thanks, Steve!
Lisa Smith
Lisa is dedicated to promoting the American contemporary design scene. She keeps herself busy as the co-founder of the Object Design League, an association of independent designers in Chicago, and design practice Smith&Linder, both co-founded with Caroline Linder. She also teaches foundation research studios at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.
59 Comments
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I don't understand why people have been so dismissive... I'm a short woman used to wearing flats, but when I get to use high heels, my point of view, literally, changes. The way I relate to people around me is so unusual and mind-blowing when I'm taller, that thinking about experiencing this art piece would be really thought-provoking for everyone in the room. It's also a once in a lifetime opportunity to see everyone at the same eye level... even if you don't like the design of the shoes, like me, you should be able to appreciate the artist's intention.!Report as spam
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well.... interesting is the word. seems fun for the shortest person and boring for the tallest.!Report as spam
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That...looks very cumbersome :\!Report as spam
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Now if everyone wore these shoes all the time, all clothing would then be the same length.!Report as spam
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Finally, someone addressing REAL problems. People should be the same height at parties. I guess you could have everyone sit down.....at a table and talk.!Report as spam
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I agree with Zach and Pepin that fogging the floor would be a great final touch! Or at least the more neutral color idea. Visually, there is still a way to measure someone's height it just moves the focus from the head to the feet, thus fogging the floor would completely remove any visual height variables.
it's a great concept though! I'm only about 5'6" and would love an opportunity to find myself "eye-to-eye" with the entire crowd at a party.
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You artists that post here know nothing about people!!Report as spam
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very interesting.....would have made them a more neutral colour mind you ...!Report as spam
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HAHAHAH xx amazing guys !! x! love it so much
you guys make my life worth living!!!!1!!!!11
dont know what i would do without you xx
love you all loads babes xxxxoxox!!!1!!!Report as spam -
Dear Vardhman,
I think you'll find that what short people want is to be happy. It would be a very happy person whose greatest worry was their height.!Report as spam -
that's fantastic...!Report as spam
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This is a great idea and not only is it fun it makes you think about all those secretly held feelings we have about being too short or too tall. I think a psychologist could do some interesting research into this project. However is a short person on high stilts any more or less acceptable or attractive, or just foolish. Eye contact when conversing is important to relationships but at what cost. Very interesting.!Report as spam
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Problem is my shoes wear down on the outside of the heel and these shoes mean that I would fall a very long way.!Report as spam
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Really? Am I the only one who thinks this is god damn retarded? It's not art, there's no point to it, and it's a waste of resources. Even as a simple social experiment, this whole project is completely full of fail. What does it mean when we all share one height? We're genetically not supposed to be the same height. That would be why we aren't the same height. Stop trying to appreciate complete pointless shit.!Report as spam
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wow....seeing the shoes without the people and just sitting there on a shelf without anyone....makes you realise what a lame and crappy project this is......utterly lacking art. give me a f****** break. and ya this is a monthy python conception.!Report as spam
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Simply brilliant! kudos!Report as spam
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Nice idea... but alas, Monty Python thought of this before. :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tVc0EZl3AfU
Starting around 2.26 or so. Hilarious.!Report as spam -
David L & glenn: It would truly be "Harrison Bergeron" if, for those people OVER 2m tall, they were forced to have a segment of each femur surgically removed to bring their height down to exactly 2m when barefoot :)
!Report as spam -
"... and the trees are all kept equal by hatchet, axe, and saw" - from "Trees" by Rush!Report as spam
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Marcos, Jeff,
What do you think you know about art? 'Knowledge' of art is the perception of it, and all these posts are perfectly valid perceptions of the concept. Go drink a designer cocktail together.
btw Pepin the fogged floor is a great idea.!Report as spam -
Harrison Bergeron.!Report as spam
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I think this would be interesting to try. Might change your perspective on how we relate to people depending on their height.!Report as spam
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Wow!
My shoes will the pair from the bottom row!!Report as spam -
I would totally fall in those shoes.!Report as spam
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what a shitty concept ! What short people want is to be tall , not look tall.!Report as spam
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This isn't at all like Kurt Vonnegut's story. Here every one is lifted up,( excluding the 6 foot 9 people), instead of being held back. If the roof was five feet high, that would be Kurt Vonnegut's story. That or chopping off feet.!Report as spam
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I think this is really great. I want to try it out too. :0)!Report as spam
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hell, the cowboys used rocks....lol!Report as spam
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Hmmm, kool idea!!Report as spam
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For all the people in the thread, its self conscious. Not contentious(something that creates strife and argument) or conscientious(being thoughtful)!Report as spam
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Give eveyone a chair, let people sit that everyonr get the same heigh.!Report as spam
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well, this seems like my kind of party, being that I am exactly two meters tall!Report as spam
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Ok, so what if some tall dude walks into a room of 30 equally measured people and he's taller? That would really p*** me off!Report as spam
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I get the feeling that hugs might be a bit awkward...!Report as spam
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This makes me think of the Kurt Vonnegut short story "Harrison Bergeron".
I'm not sure if that is a good or bad thing.
I guess lifting short people up is better than lopping off the feet of taller people.!Report as spam -
Oh, I think this is a great idea. I'm short and I get so TIRED of looking at nose hairs!!Report as spam
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Such a fun concepts and what a great chance to research how height changes social interaction. The only add I would consider would be to fog the floor. I think the resulting visual would be really cool with everyone's head level and their feet disappearing into fog below.!Report as spam
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By far the best thought-out design here is the shelving unit that the shoes are kept on. Large shoes at the bottom where the short people can reach them and small shoes at the top. Genius.
Andy
www.andycairns.com!Report as spam -
absolutely AMAZING! so cool!!Report as spam
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Two meters is 79 inches, which is 6' 7". So all of you 6' 8" people would be well within the margin of error.!Report as spam
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This is the most communist BS idea ever.!Report as spam
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This would be cool to try! Very thought provoking installation. Agreed w/Marcos and zee, many people posting here don't get it.!Report as spam
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wow, this would mess with your mind a bit having everyone at eye level!!Report as spam
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yeah, i am 6'8" and I was wondering what I would do. the only thing I can think of is being shouted at in heavy German, "SLOUCH!"!Report as spam
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More work and research needed!? What kind of research were you thinking? It's bordering on a joke and is called "conceptual art".!Report as spam
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I love the concept. I think it would create comfort. I have a lot of shorter friends who would love to be taller. I myself am self contentious being a female over 5'9. I'm comfortable with who I am. It just sounds like fun.!Report as spam
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the people who post here know nothing about art!Report as spam
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My problem is my feet barely reach the ground. Another couple inches would be ideal to fill in that nasty gap.!Report as spam
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Hans Hemmert is a Berlin-based artist (famous for his work with balloons) ~ He's a 'performance' artist, and this is his exibit. I really don't think this could catch on as a social phenomena / trend. I'm not trying to sound pessimistic at all, just realistic.!Report as spam
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don't get drunk. compound fractures here we come.!Report as spam
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Screw individuality: make everyone the same. Gotcha.!Report as spam
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stupid! just taking advantage of people being so self-conscientious, today...!Report as spam
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Much simpler to just hang the lot - all ropes could be the same length. Just make sure that even the tallest cannot reach the ground :-)!Report as spam
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Peter Mayhew would be screwed.!Report as spam
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The concept message has been delivered... still more work to do, great concept though!!Report as spam
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So... I wonder what my 6' 10" friend would do at this gathering.!Report as spam
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I wonder how many people would injure themselves?
A friend is 2 meters tall, so she would have to go in bare feet. The bad design problem she faces every day are things that don't fit. She compensates, but we need variable depth holes in the floors:-)
http://www.6footsix.com/colleenify/2010/01/whats-colleenification.html
so if designers need a challenge ...!Report as spam -
What an interesting concept! I'm always the shortest one at the party so it would be interesting to talk to people at my level for once! I love it!!Report as spam
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Its a good concept, nice prototype, but still needs "lot" of research!Report as spam
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