Chris Francis has been a very busy guy. Since we featured his incredible story last March, he has been buried away in his new East LA workshop, creating a mind-blowing collection of shoes for his inaugural exhibition at the Craft and Folk Art Museum of Los Angeles (CAFAM).
The concept for the show was to not only celebrate a special curation of Chris’ hand-made footwear, but also to situate him in the museum window, as artist in residence.
It took three guys and two weeks to set up what he affectionately describes as “organized chaos”.
Many of the exhibiting shoes have been made with found objects and raw materials; some are made entirely by hand, while others are made by hand and machine.
When asked about his experience and collaboration with the Craft and Folk Art Museum, Chris explains,
“It’s an honor to be here and to be shown in a museum, especially this museum. I love CAFAM; they back artists who wouldn’t necessarily get to show in other venues. It’s been a wonderful experience, creating the show and working with the museum.
I met a lot of fans at the opening night and the pre-show event, which is really cool; it’s fascinating to hear other people’s interpretations of the shoes.”
For the next three months, Chris will be working on location in his pop-up workshop on Wilshire Blvd,. Visible from the sidewalk, he will be creating a new collection for the Bay Area’s Richmond Art Center.
“I’m a fan of machinery, I’m inspired by machinery, and one section of the CAFAM show is actually mechanical; they are very functional. That will be some of the ground I’ll be covering while I’m here working in the window.”
Watch the Brilliant Collective interview to get the inside scoop on the show, and make your way down to CAFAM to see the magician at work!
To find out more visit CAFAM.ORG
Creative Direction & Writing: Jennie McGuirk
Photography: Betsy Winchell
Film : Jan Lim
With special thanks to the Craft And Folk Art Museum