THIS IS NOT A SHOE
FRI 13 – SAT 28 FEBRUARY
WORKSHOP & EXHIBITION
What happens to beloved shoes when they reach the end of their wearable life? Building on the research project 'This is Not a Shoe', contemporary jeweller Pennie Jagiello and footwear researcher Dr Alexandra Sherlock invite you to memorialise your most significant footwear through creative transformation.
This enriching full-day workshop and accompanying exhibit at Pennie Jagiello's beautiful Abbotsford Convent studio offers a unique opportunity to honour shoes that hold deep personal meaning but can no longer be worn. Through careful deconstruction, participants will discover the hidden stories embedded in construction techniques, wear patterns, and material memories. The reconstruction process transforms these precious materials into wearable jewellery and accessories, allowing your shoes' stories to continue in new forms.
Inspired by surrealists René Magritte and Elsa Schiaparelli, this hands-on experience encourages reflection on our relationships with everyday objects, consumption practices, and the lifecycles of fashion items. With over 22 billion pairs of shoes produced worldwide annually and limited recycling options, the workshop explores creative alternatives to disposal while celebrating the emotional significance of our belongings.
Throughout the day, you'll share stories and connect with fellow participants over refreshments and lunch in a supportive, creative environment. No prior experience necessary, though sewing skills are helpful. At the day's end, flat-lay photographs will capture all shoes, their stories, and transformed outcomes, creating a commemorative record shared with the group.
The ‘This is Not a Shoe’ exhibit, featuring a collection of deconstructed shoes and their narratives, is open to the public from 14 to 28 February.
The one-off workshop takes place on the 21st February and is open to ages 18+ only. Safety equipment and demonstrations provided. Participants accept responsibility for their own safety when using sharp tools light snacks provided.
The Abbotsford Convent, Pennie Jagiello Studio 7, Sacred Heart Courtyard, 1 St. Heliers St, Abbotsford
Tickets: Workshop $180 / Exhibition Free Entry
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‘This is Not a Shoe’ exhibit 13-28 February
Opening exhibition preview
Friday 13/2: 4-7 pmOpening hours
Sat 14/2: 10am- 6pm
Sun 15/2: 10am-5pm
Mon 16-19/2 10am-5pm
Friday 20/2: 10am-6pm
Sat 21/2: 10am- 5pm / WORKSHOP: 10-4pm
Sun 22/2: 10am-5pm
Mon 23- 26/2: 10am-5pm
Friday 27/2: 10am-6pm
Sat 28/2: 10am- 6pm
Workshop 18+ only event
Workshop safety equipment and demonstrations provided. Participants accept responsibility for their own safety when using sharp tools.
Exhibition all ages
Not serving alcohol -
Accessible for wheelchair users
Tactile experience available
Quiet space available on premises
https://abbotsfordconvent.com.au/accessibility/ -
Dr Alexandra Sherlock is a sociocultural anthropologist and Fashion Design Lecturer at RMIT University. She founded the Footwear Research Network and researches footwear-identity relationships to advance sustainable production and consumption practices. A fellow of the Australian Anthropological Society and Union of Concerned Researchers in Fashion, she collaborates across industry and academia.
Pennie Jagiello is an artist, researcher, educator and Fashion Design Lecturer at RMIT University. Her creative practice and research is centred around slow, cold-worked sustainable techniques, only working with repurposed materials making contemporary jewellery artefacts to highlight what she defines as wearable errors of the Anthropocene. Her gallery studio is at The Abbotsford Convent in Narrm.Follow Dr Alexandra Sherlock: alexandrasherlock.com / footwearresearchnetwork.org / Instagram
Follow Pennie Jagiello: Website / Instagram
Exhibition: Instagram
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For more information, please contact the event organiser:
Pennie Jagiello
pennie.jagiello@hotmail.com