3年前美國堪薩斯大學社會心理學教授Omri Gillath曾主持一項與鞋子有關的研究，研究結果發現，人們可以從他人腳上所穿的鞋子款式，以及鞋子的保養狀態，約略觀察出他人的潛在性格、年齡和社經地位，且準確度幾乎快達5成，有45%的機會，可以正確從一雙鞋取得一個人的部分資訊。而對美國藝術家Gwen Murphy來說，鞋子本身就是一個獨立的生命，因此從2005年開始，為二手鞋履賦予全新生命，就成了她的經典代表作。
什麼是真正的「時尚心理學」？英國時尚心理學權威Carolyn Mair解密
英國V&A博物館鞋履特展《Shoes: Pleasure and Pain》 250雙美鞋帶你領略足下魅力
1990年從波士頓大學藝術學院中取得雕塑類碩士學位之後，Gwen Murphy就開始了她的個人藝術生涯，但直到2005年才開始創作讓她一炮而紅的「戀足系列」（foot fetish）雕塑，至今這個系列已經有超過100件作品，大多數的作品都在短時間內找到專屬的買家，或者是被藝廊收購典藏，儘管她也有其他的類型的創作，好比T恤、繪畫、壁雕等，但其藝術成就都未曾超越已經發展10年的「戀足系列」。
Gwen Murphy的戀足系列雕塑，最顯著的特色就是，每雙鞋都有獨特的臉龐與表情，有些哀傷、有些憤怒、有些情緒幽微，彷彿背後都有一段難以輕易訴說的故事。對她而言，她並不是真的從零到有地為這些鞋履創造出情緒，而是觀察這些鞋子的特性，再將它們各自的特質捕捉、烘托出來，其後就讓這些鞋子各自展現它們各自鮮明的個性。
「我年紀還很小的時候，有次我盯著鞋子看，我發現它們也會回敬我一個眼神。我覺得每一雙鞋都有屬於自己的獨特個性，表達情緒的方式也不同，像是張開大嘴打哈欠，或是看起來疲倦、鬱悶或是激動。我覺得它們就像是一種物種，以雙胞胎的方式誕生在這世界上。」Gwen Murphy先前接受採訪時，透露了戀足系列雕塑的起源，承認自己對鞋子有著強烈執著的她，相信鞋子的使命就是保護人們，使人們安全的在不同的場域中移動往來。
戀足系列的材料來源都非常特別，Gwen Murphy並不會使用全新的鞋履製作，這些鞋履都是二手的，或是她從路邊撿來的，因此每雙鞋子都有著被使用過的痕跡，一如每個人身上獨特的疤痕，每一道都是一段故事的專屬印記。
"Brocades," Foot Fetish #87 Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Friday, April 27, 2012
"Brocades," Foot Fetish #87
Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Friday, April 27, 2012
"Toe Shoes," Foot Fetish #90ash clay, acrylics, ballet shoes Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Friday, June 1, 2012
"Toe Shoes," Foot Fetish #90ash clay, acrylics, ballet shoes
Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Friday, June 1, 2012
This new pair was made from shoes designed by Carlos Santana. I will probably title them either "She's Not There," "... Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
This new pair was made from shoes designed by Carlos Santana. I will probably title them either "She's Not There," "...
Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Wednesday, February 13, 2013
"Judith," Foot Fetish #91 Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Friday, June 22, 2012
"Judith," Foot Fetish #91
Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Friday, June 22, 2012
有一些鞋履在被Gwen Murphy帶回工作室之後，會以黏土加工，有些則是會直接用美國麻州所生產的舊鞋楦（美國麻州過去曾有相當蓬勃的製鞋產業）加以點綴，每一雙的製程都會因為其原貌而有所不同，一切依Murphy看到它們第一眼的感覺而決定它們日後的樣貌，雕塑完成之後，這些鞋履都會被賦予一個特別的名字，就像為人命名一樣。
戀足系列作品總件數至今年1月底已經發展至118件，在其中，可以瞥見不同的種族、性別、年齡、社經地位甚至物種，每件作品都有它們各自的情思，就等你細細端倪，挖掘它們背後豐富的故事。
"Little Green," Foot Fetish #116, ash clay, acrylics, vintage children's resin shoe lasts, 2015 Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Monday, November 9, 2015
"Little Green," Foot Fetish #116, ash clay, acrylics, vintage children's resin shoe lasts, 2015
Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Monday, November 9, 2015
"Otis," Foot Fetish #105, ash clay, acrylics, antique canvas boot, 2014 Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Friday, August 1, 2014
"Otis," Foot Fetish #105, ash clay, acrylics, antique canvas boot, 2014
Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Friday, August 1, 2014
"Orange Tang," Foot Fetish #101, ash clay, acrylics, wooden lasts, crocheted slippers, 2013 Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Saturday, June 29, 2013
"Orange Tang," Foot Fetish #101, ash clay, acrylics, wooden lasts, crocheted slippers, 2013
Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Saturday, June 29, 2013
"Amber," Foot Fetish #110, ash clay, acrylics, vintage plastic Italian shoe lasts, 2015 Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Sunday, April 26, 2015
"Amber," Foot Fetish #110, ash clay, acrylics, vintage plastic Italian shoe lasts, 2015
Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Sunday, April 26, 2015
"Planet of the Sneakers," Foot Fetish #92 Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Monday, July 30, 2012
"Planet of the Sneakers," Foot Fetish #92
Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Monday, July 30, 2012
This piece is headed for Houston this weekend with Sneaker Pimps Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Thursday, August 16, 2012
This piece is headed for Houston this weekend with Sneaker Pimps
Posted by Gwen Murphy Studio on Thursday, August 16, 2012
足蹬優雅 細數電影中的時尚仙履（下）
《魅惑紅底鞋》首度公開鞋王Christian Louboutin性感設計的創作歷程
泰勒絲、女神卡卡都為她瘋狂！專訪芬蘭女鞋設計師Minna Parikka
想駕馭高跟鞋先從「買鞋」開始！六個選鞋必知注意事項
資料來源：Murphy Studio
BeautiMode創意生活風格網
BeautiMode