Deep Purple, Red Shoes II is a floor-based installation composed of 17 long carpets that have been handwoven in nocturnal shades from deep red to deep purple. Polly Apfelbaum’s carpets are the culmination of her longstanding artistic engagement with the floor. They are made in Oaxaca, Mexico, using traditional weaving and dying methods. Once the artist has sent the final design to the weavers she relinquishes control over the work, allowing them to approach the assignment from their own social viewpoints and traditions. The footsteps in the weave take their inspiration from the red shoes of the virgins in the mosaics in Sant’Apollinare Nuovo, Ravenna, which she visited during her residency at the American Academy in Rome. They invite the viewers to walk on the work and become part of it. Apfelbaum’s practice places emphasis on the essential quality of materials, especially color and texture, while asserting the importance of popular craft. She chooses materials that are usually found in the domestic realm rather than that of the museum. In this way, she assumes a political and feminist position, challenging pomposity and suggesting an egalitarianism across the board.
