Workshop In The Toolboxsheet metal, metal tube, cardboard, toothpick, leather fabric, hot glue, modelling clay, wire, can, acrylic paint, non woven frabric, aluminum foil, watercolour paper, thread, kraft paper This work is a miniature shoe workshop placed inside a metal toolbox. The idea for this piece comes from both sides of my family. On my mother’s side, my family has worked in the shoe-making industry since she was a child. Every tool, piece of furniture, and working process in the workshop is based on real objects and memories, carefully simplified to fit inside the box. Shoe-making has always been a part of who we are, and it connects me deeply to my family’s past. On my father’s side, his family has always worked in mechanical engineering. I grew up spending a lot of time in the factory, surrounded by machines, metal, and noise. That’s why I chose to place the shoe workshop inside a metal toolbox. The toolbox represents the larger and more well-known part of my family’s background, the mechanical work that people often see first. But inside it lies something smaller and more personal: the hidden story of shoe-making, which only those close to me truly know. This artwork is also a tribute to my grandfather, my mom’s father, who passed away in 2021. I was the oldest grandchild and spent a lot of time with him, learning from his patience and care. Through this work, I wanted to keep his spirit and craftsmanship alive. To me, the piece is not only about two family histories, but also about memory, love, and the quiet ways that family stories continue to shape who I am. |