Gilles Berquet and Mïrka Lugosi Explore Fetishism of the Foot

Thibaut de Ruyter's article examines two recent works by artists Gilles Berquet and Mïrka Lugosi that center on the foot as a fetish object. Berquet's photograph, part of his exhibition 'I'll be your mirror' at Galerie Bertrand Grimont in Paris (through November 30, 2019), depicts a nude foot crushing a plaster camembert made by artist Nicolas Boulard, creating a dialogue between the two creators. Lugosi's drawing, featured in her publication 'INSTITUT LUGOSI' (Vasta Editions, 2019), shows a foot pressing on a phallic form. Both works engage with trampling imagery, yet differ in tone: Berquet's is humorous, while Lugosi's is overtly sexual, evoking the surrealist-erotic tradition of Hans Bellmer and Birgit Jürgenssen. The article notes that despite the absence of shoes, the feet retain the arched posture associated with high heels, preserving the fetishistic power of the object. Berquet's exhibition includes a series of nude women standing proudly in heels before a curtain, while Lugosi's publication features legs, boots, masks, and other fetish items. The works highlight how art continues to explore and stay ahead of contemporary fantasies, even as pornography permeates fashion and advertising.