A new exhibition at the Bata Shoe Museum is placing a spotlight on the age-old question: what is art? Now through March 2026, Art/Wear: Sneakers x Artists offers a glimpse into the growing trend of artist and sneaker collaborations, featuring a selection of drops by 48 venerable artists including Takashi Murakami, Virgil Abloh, Futura and Javier Calleja. In a massive display of works, the exhibition charts through the past and present of commercial collaborations, highlighting new dimensions of footwear, art and above all, creative expression.
“Sneakers and artist collabs are increasingly finding their way into conventional art venues such as museums and auction houses with some elevated to a status similar to limited edition artist prints,” says BSM director and senior curator Elizabeth Semmelhack in a recent press statement. She highlights that these pieces not only “invite a reconsideration of the intersection between art, fashion and identity,” but can also function as an act of democratization, blending high and street culture.
Art/Wear unfolds out across several topics, from graffiti’s influence on fashion to the rise of customization as an art form. Tracing the cultural shift that redefined sneakers as symbols of personal and collective identity, each work offers insight into why sneakers have become attractive canvases for artists and why so many sneakerheads are drawn to these wearable pieces. By blurring the boundary between art and fashion, the exhibition invites us to revisit what it means to create, collect and wear “art” today.
Art/Wear: Sneakers x Artists is on display now in Toronto until March 23, 2026. Head to the museum’s website to purchase tickets and learn more about the exhibition.
Bata Shoe Museum
327 Bloor St W,
Toronto, ON M5S 1W7,
Canada
