For the close reading of a visual text I analyzed "12 Shoes for 12 Lovers" by Sebastian Errazuriz. The piece consisted of twelve different high heels modeled after the personalities of Errazuriz's twelve ex-lovers. Accompanying each photo was a short anecdote depicting a vivid memory the artist had with each woman, some were beautifully written while others were slightly harsher. The collection was unlike any other and the artist's display of openness and vulnerability into his intimate life lead to this unique and successful masterpiece. This art piece is a perfect example of a visual text because the textures, colors, symbols, and perspectives of each heel gives different observers a variety of interpretations. Each shoe adds character and meaning to the story that words could not explain.

The first shoe was called "Honey" and was based off of a woman named Natasha. Upon first inspection, the entire shoe is made of bright yellow honeycomb. It gives the initial impression of perfection, something that is almost too perfect. It also projects fragileness because of its porous holes and one may assume that it could be easily broken, especially if used for its intended purpose as a shoe. These assumptions make even more sense after reading the anecdote that went along with this shoe, depicting a relationship that ended because the artist could never get used to the woman's overly nice and caring character.

The second shoe was named "Cry Baby", based off a woman named Alexandra. The artist tells the story of a girl named Alexandra leaving her boyfriend and finding her way into his bed crying, only to go back to her boyfriend immediately afterwards. The shoe is completely white and has liquid droplets splashing upwards. My immediate thought was that the shoe was a visual imitation of the famous saying "don't cry over spilt milk", however, it could also symbolize tears.

Shoe number three was nicknamed "Gold Digger" after Alison, a girl who wanted Errazuriz to buy her lavish trips to Brazil and ended up eventually running away with her boss. The entire shoe is a deep gold color representing the fact that money and fortune were the closest things to Alison's heart. The heel itself is a man struggling to support the rest of the shoe, further symbolizing the men and lovers that struggled to support Alison with their wealth.

"Heart Breaker" was the fourth shoe and was modeled after Laura. Not much was revealed about that relationship other than the fact that she broke his heart and is now married with kids. The shoe is bright red which immediately projects the vibes of love and infatuation, in addition, there is a giant red arrow stuck through the back of the heel as if indicating one of Cupid's arrows piercing a heart. By looking at this shoe, this relationship was full of pain, clearly indicated by the arrow and bright red color which could also represent blood.

Shoe number five was created in memory of Sophie, also known as the "Ice Queen". First glance at this shoe, it is completely white with sharp ice-like protrusions everywhere, immediately giving off a pristine, cold, and distant feel. The anecdote that goes along with this shoe is that Sophie was a cold and distant person, and even when she opened up to Errazuriz, it was only for brief amounts of time. 

Caroline, the "Hot Bitch", was the muse for shoe number six. She was wild and all over the place, always cheated in relationships, and craved being the center of attention. This shoe was bright red like the crazy fireball she was and had some sort of liquid oozing down the sides possibly to indicate what a mess she was. The shoes itself catches your eye and makes a bold statement, kind of like the girl herself.

Shoe number seven was created after Anna, "The Virgin". According to the anecdote, Errazuriz was her first and last lover because shortly after their brief relationship, he heard that she was on her way to becoming a nun. This shoe is completely white to symbolize purity and holiness. In addition, the heel is shaped into a woman wearing some sort of robes, either indicating that she is a nun, a saint, or even possibly Virgin Mary.

The eighth shoe was named "Jetsetter" after Jessica. The bright red color of the shoe could possibly suggest her seductive mannerisms and lavish stories, while the plane shaped heel indicates her wild and untamable spirit along with her fortune and luxuries around the world.

The ninth shoe was modeled after Rachel, "The Boss". At first glance the entire shoe is black and gives the immediate impression of professionalism and power. When looking at the art piece further, it is evident that the heel is shaped into a spike and the underside of the shoe possesses brass knuckles, which shows that Rachel was a strong, powerful woman who could inflict a lot of pain. These assumptions are further proved from the anecdote depicting her as a crazy, bi-polar feminist.

Shoe number ten was nicknamed "GI Jane" after the artist's ex-lover Barbara. This shoe is a dark olive green to represent military colors and there is a soldier positioned on the front with a gun drawn and ready. The impression this shoe gives is one of power and fear, however, according to the anecdote these feelings were directed at Barbara's military father rather than Barbara herself.

Shoe number eleven was created in memory of Valentina, "The Ghost". Made entirely from wire, this shoe is for the most part transparent, apart from its frame. It gives the illusion of a woman full of mystery and allure, but never around either physically, mentally or both. The shoe fits perfectly with Errazuriz's story of a young woman with crazy hair who blew in and out of his room one summer, but never really stayed. 

The final and twelfth shoe was named "The Rock" after the artist's true love, Alice. The entire shoe is black and designed to look like cooled magma, or igneous rock. Immediately upon observation, the viewer can conclude that this shoe is different from the other eleven, being the only shoe giving an extreme amount of support, which is rare to see when looking at high heels. Another important observation was the artist's choice of rock. Igneous rock is made of cooled volcanic magma which could be symbolic for a hot, fiery love that fizzled out and died over time. The anecdote that went along with this shoe did not give much insight into that relationship, only that it did not last. However, the artist made it clear that he truly loved this woman and always will.

"12 Shoes for 12 Lovers" by Sebastian Errazuriz was the perfect example of a visual text. It encompassed the meaning and personalities of Errazuriz's various lovers simply through texture, colors, form, symbols, and perspectives. Each shoe communicated a message or impression with the viewer that would not be as easily perceived through written words. The anecdotes that went along with each shoe helped to verify the viewer's thoughts on each piece, but the shoe itself told the story.

