Top Five Reasons You Can’t Miss Future Now at Sarasota Art Museum
Image: Henry Sayer
You don’t need to be a “sneakerhead” to get a kick out of Sarasota Art Museum’s latest exhibition, Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks. Fans of history, technology, art and design, and fashion, or those just looking for a fun activity to entertain out-of-town guests, will all walk away from this exhibition having seen and learned something new. Featuring over 70 pieces, Future Now makes its regional premiere with Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College, celebrating over 200 years of design innovation in footwear. Here are our top five reasons not to miss out on this one.
Image: Henry Sayer
#5 A Heartwarming Walk Down Memory Lane
At Future Now, you are bound to see something that will bring on the nostalgia. Whether it’s your first pair of Converse, Dr. Martens, Jelly Sandals, or Moon Boots (cue Nancy Sinatra), there’s going to be one set of kicks that will remind you of your own favorite pair. *Tear*
Image: Henry Sayer
#4 Learn Something New
Did you know that in addition to tires, Goodyear also made (and still makes) sneakers? Or that one of the earliest synthetic dyes used in boots in the late 1800s was discovered by accident while trying to find a new treatment for malaria? Or that Dr. Martens were originally designed to help WWII soldiers recover from injuries? You’re bound to make new discoveries like these and more when visiting Future Now.
Psst: The Museum offers weekly Highlights Tours on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays at 11 am. For the most enriching experience, we recommend joining in on one of these tours. They are FREE with Museum admission!
Image: courtesy photo
#3 Express Your Sneaker Style
For the kiddos (and the young at heart) express your own creativity in the exhibit’s Education section. Visitors can design their own shoe using one of the three iPad stations available. Then, practice the art of shoe lacing with three shoe-lacing stations. Whether you go for a ladder, lattice, waffle, twistie, or starburst technique, you’re sure to have fun learning a new way to style your sneaks.
Image: Henry Sayer
#2 Glimpse into the Future
No crystal ball necessary. Thanks to Future Now, you can get a glimpse into what the future may hold for shoe wearers everywhere. From 3D-printed shoes and shoes ready to step into the metaverse to shoes that take a stand against pollution and environmental waste, the possibilities are endless. What more could the future hold? You’ll have to make the trip to the Museum to find out.
Image: Ryan Gamma
#1 A Movie Marvel
Remember when Marty McFly traveled to “the future” in Back to the Future II (1989) and got a pair of self-lacing shoes? Movie lovers were so impressed with the “power-lacing” technology featured in the hit movie that Nike released limited editions of the Nike Mag in 2011 and 2015, inspired by the movie prop. The most recent version of the Nike Mag was equipped with LED lights and an automatic lacing system, just like in the film. Sarasota Art Museum will feature one of the very few (and very pricey) limited edition pairs of Nike Mags. Great Scott!
Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks is on view at Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College (1001 South Tamiami Trail) February 9-May 4, 2025. The exhibition is free to Museum Members, $20 for Not-Yet Members, and free for visitors 17 and under. Future Now is co-organized by the American Federation of Arts and the Bata Shoe Museum, and curated by Elizabeth Semmelhack, director and senior curator, Bata Shoe Museum. Learn more.