6.01.2005

Art marketers for Nike: I'm glad to hear other people are unimpressed by the fever-pitch hype over the NIKE iD lab, a boutique where the sneakerati can customize their own shoes. Couched in language about the "democratization of design" (while at the same time hyping "a private design studio on Elizabeth Street complete with security guards to keep out the celebrity seekers and sneaker freakers"), a Sunday New York Times article reveals that artist Cindy Sherman has signed on to help promote the venture (she seems to be making the commercial rounds: she's also appearing in Juergen Teller-shot ads for clothing designer Marc Jacobs). And, in kind, the Times enlisted, among others, painter Sarah Morris to test out the facility. But Greg sees through the bullshit of borrowed artistic cachet: "Customizing Nikes is to expressing your individual creativity what rhythmic gymnastics is to sports."

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