Ioanna Ralli: “The Shoes That Wore Out from Dancing “– An Artistic Installation Inspired by the Grimm Brothers’ Tale

Zoumboulakis Gallery presents Ioanna Ralli’s new solo exhibition titled “The Shoes That Wore Out from Dancing,” an installation based on the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale of the same name, curated by Eleni Kypraiou.

As the curator writes: “Ralli, who has developed a personal path through painting, photography, and sculpture, brings to life in her 12th solo exhibition a performance-like, holistic work of art. Here, her own artistic expression engages in dialogue with literature, music, and storytelling.”

The exhibition features a series of 12 pairs of shoes, created in tempera on paper, a piece made up of 72 small paintings, and a sculptural installation. “In this exhibition, Ralli frees herself from the conventional depiction of the human body—which she has extensively explored in the past—and instead searches for new forms: genderless, colorful, with multicultural traits that swirl across the two-dimensional space of paper and ultimately break free into the surrounding space. The installation, consisting of 24 pairs of handcrafted women’s shoes made with wire, fabric, and thread, symbolizes free will, human autonomy, and the artist’s freedom to express herself through any medium.”

Ralli strongly believes that every child’s favorite fairy tale reveals something about their mind and psyche. Her own favorite was “The Shoes That Wore Out from Dancing” by the Brothers Grimm. However, since childhood she has resisted—and continues to resist—the tale’s ending, which she feels reinforces the disciplining of free will, control, and ultimately, punishment.

That’s why she invited four writers—Lenia Zafeiropoulou, Cécile Inglessis Margellos, Maria Kaliabetsou, and Christos Sakellaridis—to rewrite the story with a different ending. These alternative texts will be available to read, watch on screen, or listen to through headphones in the gallery space.

Additionally, Ralli commissioned composer Astrinos Karayiorgakis to create original music for the works, which will play throughout the exhibition.

Performance

On Tuesday, May 6th at 6:00 PM, and Saturday, May 24th at 12:00 PM, visitors will have the opportunity to hear Mary Vlassopoulou narrate the original fairy tale, while Efi Papadopoulou and Tasos Apostolou perform one of the rewritten versions, accompanied by Astrinos Karayiorgakis on guitar and Ioanna Karayiorgakis on clarinet—bringing to life Ralli’s vision of a collaboration between multiple art forms.

Final dates will be confirmed and announced.

Catalogue

The exhibition is accompanied by a book-catalogue published by Cube Art Editions, featuring photographs of the works, literary texts, and a QR code giving readers access to the music.