[OR_Archaeology] 10K Years of Shoes

[John Pouley]

http://uonews.uoregon.edu/archive/news-release/2011/12/book-explores-deep-history-shoes-and-showcases-work-brian-lanker


Book explores the deep history of shoes and showcases work of Brian
Lanker
EUGENE, Ore. - (Dec. 2, 2011) - The new book "10,000 Years of Shoes:
The Photographs of Brian Lanker" - produced by the Museum of Natural and
Cultural History at the University of Oregon - explores the form,
function, history and diversity of shoes, with stunning photos by
Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist Brian Lanker.

Edited by Jon Erlandson and Sarah McClure - and including essays by
Thomas Connolly, Erlandson, Petr Hlavacek and Kenny Moore - the book
connects two ends of a spectrum that have become hallmarks of the UO:
the museum's famed collection of 10,000-year-old sagebrush bark sandals,
the world's oldest known shoes, with the innovations in running shoes
developed by Bill Bowerman, Phil Knight and Nike from the 1960s on.

The story is woven together by the photographs of Brian Lanker, whose
original idea for the book was inspired by visiting the museum's 2008
exhibit "Walk a Mile in These Shoes - The Stories They Tell." Held
during the U.S. Olympic Trials at Hayward Field and the revival of
Eugene's moniker as TrackTown USA, the museum's exhibit featured the
ancient sandals collection and early Bowerman/Nike designs, as well as
shoes from a diverse array of cultures and time periods. This diversity
demonstrated that shoes not only protect the foot but also communicate
information about individuals: from geographic area to physical stature,
economic status and personal style.

When the exhibit came down, Lanker photographed dozens of the shoes to
create portraits before returning the shoes to museum vaults or owners.
The photographs captured shoes with styles ranging from purely
functional to purely - and outlandishly - about style. Favorites from
the exhibit, such as platform-heeled silver boots worn by a member of
the rock band KISS to runner Steve Prefontaine's big swoosh running
shoes from 1971, showcase a wide range of footwear.

Lanker's passion in creating the book involved countless hours of
volunteer time and a commitment to artistic excellence that defined his
work. Lanker was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer during the project and
died in March 2011 as the book's design neared completion.

Essays in the book discuss the history of shoes from three different
perspectives:

● Erlandson, museum director, and Hlavacek, professor of shoe
technology at Tomas Bata University in the Czech Republic, present
concise histories of footwear based on ancient archaeological findings
to present-day shoe-consumption statistics.

● Connolly, director of archaeological research at the museum, writes
on the original discovery of the sagebrush sandals in 1938 by the UO's
Luther Cressman and what these ancient sandals reveal about the people
who wore them.

● Moore, a two-time Olympics marathoner who ran for Bowerman and
wrote the 2006 biography "Bowerman and the Men of Oregon," writes about
the legendary track coach's infatuation with the ancient sandals and how
they informed his innovations for UO's track team.

The book is written for a general audience. The essayists were
encouraged to write in a style that echoed Lanker's photographs.

 "Brian's beautiful shoe-themed photography is marvelous for capturing
personal histories and emotions," Connolly said. "In working on the
essays that accompany the images, Brian encouraged us to present
substantive information, but his persistent request - and the mantra
that compelled his own photography - was to tell compelling stories
about people. The final product is a book that is beautiful, but one
that is also a powerful exploration of the complexity and history of the
human experience."

Because of Lanker's untimely death, the book holds great significance
to those who knew him personally. "This publication pays homage to a
world-class artist, a profound thinker, a generous and caring soul, and
a man with a contagious verve for life and a constant twinkle in his
eye," Erlandson said.

The book can be purchased through the end of the year exclusively at
Past and Presents, the museum's store, for $34.99. In January, the book
will be made available for wider distribution.

About the Museum of Natural and Cultural History
The Museum of Natural and Cultural History, 1680 E. 15th Ave., is open
Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $3 for
adults, $2 for seniors and youths 17 and under, and $8 for families (two
adults and up to four youths). Museum members are admitted free. Guided
tours are offered each Friday at 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m.

About the University of Oregon
The University of Oregon is a world-class teaching and research
institution and Oregon's flagship public university. The UO is one of
just two Pacific Northwest universities with membership in the
prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), an organization
made up of the 62 leading public and private research universities in
the United States and Canada.

Media Contact: Denise Sorom, marketing and communications specialist,
Museum of Natural and Cultural History, 541-346-5083,
dsorom at uoregon.edu.





John O. Pouley
Oregon SHPO
Assistant State Archaeologist
725 Summer St NE Suite C
Salem, OR 97301
(503) 986-0675 Office
(503) 480-9164 Cell
(503) 986-0793 Fax
john.pouley at state.or.us
http://www.oregon.gov/OPRD/HCD/ARCH/index.shtml