Art

Levitating on One Foot

Levitating: On One Foot," or "Levitando: A UN Solo Pie" (2003) by Raquel Paiewonsky is a strange piece of modern art that is made of panty hose, beeswax, and cable. The artist made models of feet, put them in the feet of panty hose, and then suspended them just off the floor with cables. It is kind of scary to look at, just at cut off feet hanging in midair. There are dozens of pairs of feet just hanging there. I have to say that the way the light shines on the piece, some of the feet hang in shadow and are not as easy to see or clear, as some that are in the light. The shadows do strange things to the feet, and because the feet are heavy, they pull the panty hose down tight, and hang there like they are dead. Some of the feet look old and rough, and some of the feet look young and healthy. Some of them almost look like they are ballet dancers balancing right on their toes. So, some of this work seems very artistic and sleek and modern, and some of it seems just weird.

A really wasn't sure what the artist was trying to say with this work. Some of the feet have painted toenails, or just one painted toenail. The panty hose represent women, and the levitation shows that their feet never touch the ground. I don't know what that means - that women are always struggling to touch the ground when they can't? That women are always higher than men. I don't know. Looking at this piece gives me too reactions. There is something magical or mystical about the feet just hanging there, and the way the artist uses light to highlight some of the work. There is something very creepy about seeing cut off feet hanging in front of you, as well. I'm not sure if I liked this piece or not. What I did like was how the artist took very common materials, like panty hose and beeswax, and then made something entirely different out of them. I'm just not sure what the artist is trying to say, and why this means anything.