Vans X MoMA Drop 2

posted by Robyn Pitts November 11, 2020

Following their debut collaboration in September, Vans and The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) have teamed up again to launch a second instalment of footwear and apparel. The latest drop takes inspiration from the works of artists Edvard Munch, Jackson Pollock, Lybov Popova and Faith Ringgold. A diverse selection of work by these artists has been thoughtfully translated onto Vans Classic Footwear and apparel styles, available worldwide from today.

“Our collaboration with MoMA is a true partnership that involved working together to select both the works and footwear to ensure an authentic connection between the art and the canvas footwear models we chose.” Angie Dita, Vans Head of Global Footwear Design for Lifestyle Footwear.

Edvard Munch’s best-known work, The Scream 1895, captures the “infinite scream of nature” and angst. A print version of this artwork has been carefully captured on each of the canvas panels of the Vans Era shoe in a repeat pattern that can also be found on the Old Skool backpack, short sleeve tee and pullover hoodie.

Pioneer of action painting, Jackson Pollock’s One: Number 31, 1950 has transformed the Vans Authentic with an all-over application atop the canvas and across the sidewalls. This is complimented by a digitally printed short sleeve button-down and camper style hat.

Lybov Popova approached painting as an act of “construction” using colour, line and shape to create dimensional work that expressed movement and dynamism. For the Vans MoMA collaboration, Popova’s Untitled, 1917 has been applied to the Vans Sk8-Hi. Their avant-garde vision is spread across the hi-top model, as well as a complimenting fleece and ringer tee.

Acclaimed painter, writer, sculptor, performance artist, educator and activist, Faith Ringgold worked closely with both the Vans design and MoMA teams to story tell through the details, bringing in quilted borders to contextualise her work atop Vans footwear. Ringgold’s body of work highlights her experiences with racism and social injustice. Woman Free Yourself 1971 brings bold type to the left side of the Vans Era, while Freedom Woman Now 1971 poster art has been applied to the right side to form the affirmative demands that were called during the arrest of Angela Davis. Ringgold’s powerful words can also be found on a reversible bucket hat and long sleeve tee. A second footwear style, the Classic Slip-On is inspired by Ringgold’s 1990s work Seven Passages to a Flight. Inscribed on the sidewall is a quote from Ringgold printed in her handwriting stating; “My mother said I’d have to work twice as hard to go half as far”.