Shoes that make everyone
the same height

By Lisa Smith - March 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!

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Shoes that make everyone
the same height

Q59

ouiadri

11 years ago

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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.
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Elijah Clark

9 years ago

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well.... interesting is the word. seems fun for the shortest person and boring for the tallest.
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John Hallquist

10 years ago

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That...looks very cumbersome :\
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IJ

10 years ago

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Now if everyone wore these shoes all the time, all clothing would then be the same length.
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florida web design

11 years ago

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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.
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Rico Dionichi

11 years ago

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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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Bippity-Boppity-Hat

11 years ago

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You artists that post here know nothing about people!
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Olivia

11 years ago

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very interesting.....would have made them a more neutral colour mind you ...
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hahahahaha

11 years ago

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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!!
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Oliver

11 years ago

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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.
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mete

11 years ago

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that's fantastic...
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Peter Stanbury

11 years ago

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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.
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The Baldchemist

11 years ago

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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.
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GrimFusion

11 years ago

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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.
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dawnatilla

11 years ago

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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.
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Justin

11 years ago

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Simply brilliant! kudos
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Batavier

11 years ago

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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.
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jonathan

11 years ago

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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 :)

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Jim

11 years ago

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"... and the trees are all kept equal by hatchet, axe, and saw" - from "Trees" by Rush
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Zach

11 years ago

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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.
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glenn

11 years ago

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Harrison Bergeron.
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Carol

11 years ago

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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.
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Dina VagabondQuest

11 years ago

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Wow!

My shoes will the pair from the bottom row!
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Nyxxie

11 years ago

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I would totally fall in those shoes.
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Vardhman

11 years ago

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what a shitty concept ! What short people want is to be tall , not look tall.
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Matt

11 years ago

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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.
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Peter

11 years ago

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I think this is really great. I want to try it out too. :0)
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Earl

11 years ago

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hell, the cowboys used rocks....lol
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Schahryar Fekri

11 years ago

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Hmmm, kool idea!
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hobs

11 years ago

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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)
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HAWK

11 years ago

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Give eveyone a chair, let people sit that everyonr get the same heigh.
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Nicholas

11 years ago

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well, this seems like my kind of party, being that I am exactly two meters tall
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Frog

11 years ago

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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
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Seth Jeffery

11 years ago

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I get the feeling that hugs might be a bit awkward...
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David L.

11 years ago

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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.
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Susan

11 years ago

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Oh, I think this is a great idea. I'm short and I get so TIRED of looking at nose hairs!
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Pepin Gelardi

11 years ago

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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.
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Andy Cairns

11 years ago

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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
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Yasaman Sheri

11 years ago

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absolutely AMAZING! so cool!
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Fred Fnord

11 years ago

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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.
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chode

11 years ago

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This is the most communist BS idea ever.
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Jeff

11 years ago

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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.
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dru

11 years ago

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wow, this would mess with your mind a bit having everyone at eye level!
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Matt

11 years ago

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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!"
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zee

11 years ago

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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".
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Tall

11 years ago

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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.
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Marcos Rodriguez

11 years ago

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the people who post here know nothing about art
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Grover

11 years ago

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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.
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JR

11 years ago

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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.
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matt

11 years ago

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don't get drunk. compound fractures here we come.
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gern

11 years ago

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Screw individuality: make everyone the same. Gotcha.
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Josh

11 years ago

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stupid! just taking advantage of people being so self-conscientious, today...
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Bruce

11 years ago

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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 :-)
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Anonymoose

11 years ago

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Peter Mayhew would be screwed.
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Fahad Shehadat

11 years ago

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The concept message has been delivered... still more work to do, great concept though!
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nataJane

11 years ago

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So... I wonder what my 6' 10" friend would do at this gathering.
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steve

11 years ago

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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 ...
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Juliana Crispo @ TallShortgirl.com

11 years ago

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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!
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Vidit Kothari

11 years ago

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Its a good concept, nice prototype, but still needs "lot" of research
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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.