New York City is full of surprises, and these hanging shoes on power lines are no exception.
I never understood the meaning of a pair or more hanging shoes in New York City. Do you? If so, write a comment in the comment area below this post.
I’m putting together this little photo gallery named Hanging Shoes on Power Lines in New York City. I will be adding more images whenever I find more hanging shoes in during my walks in NYC. If you like my photos please consider helping me out by visiting my New York City souvenir shop. I make my own T-Shirts, coffee mugs and more designs inspired by my walks in New York City.
A quick Google search offers a few different meanings for this symbol of city life, most of them ominous. According to some, these shoes mark a prime location to get drugs. To others, they are a sobering memorial, honoring a deceased gang member. I have seen different kinds of shoes hanging over different parts of the city, which makes me wonder whether they have meaning to more people than one might expect.
The above shoes on power lines appear to be ice skating shoes. After I brewed my own coffee late at night and came back the next morning the shoes were not there anymore.
With the dynamic nature of NYC and the constant gentrification, it is not clear whether hanging shoes continue to have a common meaning to the people who see them. It is really fascinating that every person who passes by may have a different idea about the shoes than the individual who originally put them there. Some of them even have an aura of mystery about them. I have passed by locations where I have seen a pair of shoes one day, and they have disappeared the next. Perhaps they may have been moved to a different power line, which is really further evidence of this city being one that is defined by evolution and change.
What do hanging shoes mean to you? Post your thoughts in the comments area below this post.
