The Seriously Modified Collective is a group of artists obsessed with process and materials.
All of us come from vastly different backgrounds; music, theater, sneaker head culture, hip-hop, graphic design. The Toeknuckles project brings us all together in a fascination with Tactile Aesthetics. Life is art, and art is life.
What are the materials that will allow us to explore that?
Read more about each of us below. ⇊
Darren
This is actually the second time I have exhibited shoes as artwork. The first time was many years ago in Australia, where my "decorated shoes" won much acclaim. The possibility of crossing the line between human and mechanical, and delving into visual art, was posed by Sir Malice Christian of NY in 2024. I became fascinated by the way his photographs turned people into furniture. It somehow raised questions about objectification to me, how we reduce those around us to items in our service. So when he suggested metal toes on sneakers as "to-die-for" I instantly started work on this new project to create modified Converse.
Shoes and feet occupy a special place in our psyche. Why do they create such strong desire in us? Ruby slippers, teetering stilettos, towering platforms, patent leather boots, we revel in these extensions to our feet, and we know we want them but we never really know why.
Amy
After earning my art degree and spending over a decade as a professional creative, I’ve come to understand artmaking as an exercise in freedom—to explore, to take risks, and to reimagine the world on our own terms. It’s a journey of seeking empowerment through the practice of free will—a process that reminds me there are no true rules in life, only collective beliefs and their consequences. As long as we do no harm, we are free to create whatever we desire. How cool is that?
I have a particular affinity for sensory and functional art, pieces that invite interaction and engage the senses in meaningful ways. Art, for me, isn’t just something to observe—it’s something to feel, to use, and to experience on a deeper level.
Zyaire
As a kid I knew I was born to be an artist. It didn’t take long for me realize that I was better at expressing myself through fabrics and fashion than with pen and paper. It's as if it helped me find my voice, a way to communicate my inner world! So when Darren showed me pictures of the process and how the shoes are designed, I was in absolute awe. I immediately thought of ideas and different artist perceptions we could use on the canvases. I was so fascinated with the process, I couldn’t believe the time it took, the studies behind it, even the amount of small details that make the bigger picture giving each shoe a story to tell.
He truly has put his blood sweat and tears into coming up with this concept and the possibilities are endless. Together we’re pushing the boundaries of traditional fashion to the limit! Making looks for every aesthetic from Y2K to grunge, from vintage to modern, and even from retro to rockstar. It’ll be something for every ‘Knucklehead’!