GIANT WALL COVERED IN 440 HIGH HEELS TO HONOUR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS

Turkish artist Vahit Tuna has made a menacing installation to call attention to domestic violence, a significant problem. He's making a big statement with 440 pairs of black high heels arranged on a massive wall. Every pair stands for a Turkish woman who was murdered in 2018 by her partner. This is a startling figure in a nation where femicide is becoming more common. Tuna hopes that by using black heels as a symbol of defiance and independence, the sculpture will bring attention to the issue.

The funerary practice of hanging the deceased's shoes outside of their home in some parts of Turkey served as the inspiration for the installation. In this instance, the shoes will be displayed on a wall chosen by Yanköşe, a nonprofit art platform, for six months. Established by the Turkish coffee chain Kahve Dünyası, the 2,800 square feet of wall space in Kabataş is adorned with artwork by a rotating roster of artists.

Research indicates that in 2017, family members or intimate partners were responsible for 58% of all female homicides worldwide. Regretfully, this number has gone up over time and might even be higher because certain nations fail to report femicide statistics accurately.

There is still work to be done, even though various nations are making an effort to address the problem in different ways, such as through preventive empowerment of women and improved police training. Therefore, the fact that a strong installation has taken over such a public area is a positive move. You can't help but notice how many shoes are hanging up on the wall. Tuna is assisting in making sure that the 440 women's lives were not lost in vain by providing them with a tangible presence on the wall.