KaiOmi Tapes by Naomi Knight and Kai Chen - KaiOmi tapes is a two tape collaborative edition produced along with cast plaster and a custom shoe box that pays homage to the light up shoe as it relates to childhood. Knight and Chen drew on their personal/familial histories for this project each featuring archival family photos and images of their own bodies that are custom fit inside plaster casted children's shoes. The artists recorded sound of themselves doing various activities that remind them of childhood; i.e. running, skipping, jumping rope with contact mics inside of their sneakers. These sounds were layered with samples of sounds from our childhood specifically as they relate to light-up shoes. The shoes were cast using plaster of paris made from a custom alginate mold and individually decorated by each artist.

KaiOmi Tapes by Naomi Knight and Kai Chen - Detail view of the custom shoe box

KaiOmi Tapes by Naomi Knight and Kai Chen - Detail front view of the both shoes and the cassette tapes featuring the artists socks

KaiOmi Tapes by Naomi Knight and Kai Chen - Detail side view of Naomi's shoe/tape

KaiOmi Tapes by Naomi Knight and Kai Chen - Detail side view of Kai's shoe/tape

KaiOmi Tapes by Naomi Knight and Kai Chen - Detail view of the inside of the J-Cards featuring collages of archival childhood photos Naomi (left) and Kai (right)

KaiOmi Tapes by Naomi Knight and Kai Chen - Detail view of the outside of the J-Cards featuring photos of the artists socks and pants that slot into the custom plaster shoes. Naomi (left) and Kai (right)

KaiOmi Tapes by Naomi Knight and Kai Chen

Fall 2023