Meet The Artist Reinterpreting Sneaker Culture With These Creative Illustrations

Street pop culture has always tested the boundaries and pushed the envelop in emerging pop culture. Think graffitied walls, your hip pop playlist, your favourite sport or cracking a cold one open with your pals, and skateboarding with your old fashioned retro sneakers. A penny for your thoughts? A burst of nostalgia and euphoric memories. Keeping those stories alive by experimenting through the likes of popular culture, is twenty two year old – Saurav Shete. Who’s talented artwork seeks refuge in the form of sneakers. This Navi Mumbai artist fuzes and merges the concepts of nature and design to formulate his artwork. Here lies an introspection behind the man who uses a sneaker as his canvas.

Tell us more about your art, how did it come into being?

I started making artwork based on sneakers as a release from my job, to keep the experimental side of my life alive. I try to tell stories, and sneakers is my medium. In the sneaker skulls series, I’m trying to communicate with everyone that despite the silhouettes and technologies of classic sneakers being so old, they still capture our imaginations and act as inspiration for future development. The way dinosaurs are a treasure trove for evolution studies, so are classic sneakers to a new generation of artists and designers!

What are some of your main muses over the years of your career as a sneaker designer?

I am always inspired by nature, flora and fauna, historic icons, technology and Japanese, Chinese art!

Describe the varied elements that come into play for your designs

I try and find connections and relations between design and nature, and try to explain my inferences through splicing visuals together. I find it a lot of fun to find hidden forms and shapes that begin to take shape when you mix seemingly unrelated things together.

Are there any Indian contemporaries of yours whose work you admire?

@highonmangoes @incredibuilt @roshanpa @bharat.manoj @gayathri_attoor @kiran_mn

What is the first piece of art/photograph/film/music that impacted you deeply?

Jurassic Park. And then Avatar. Big influences.

If you could propose and lead a project with the Indian Government, what would it be?

Not a fan of working with the government, I’d love to work with the private sector. Though I’d love it if we could revamp Pune’s public transport.

Which is your favourite piece of work of your own & why?

My Luxury Consumption series. It was a good conversation starter amongst my circles about the recent boom of luxury streetwear and the market forces behind it.

One track you’re currently listening to?

Florence and the Machine. All of it.

A project you wish you were a part of?

The Mars mission. Would love to design footwear for astronauts on Mars.

Your favourite midnight munchies?

Bombay puri.

Your greatest vice?

Trying to reduce my shopping frequency. Trying to be more responsible.

If you like Saurav’s work, be sure to check his Instagram out!

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