Created in partnership with Rakuten, brought together thousands of custom sneaker artists from across the US and Europe. With Rakuten’s support, the competition became one of the largest creator-driven sneaker showcases ever produced, giving emerging artists a platform on a global stage. From thousands of entries, just 100 creators were shortlisted by a world-class judging panel featuring leaders across sport, design, music, and sneaker culture. These Top 100 designs formed the Art of the Game Official Collection - a rare, curated snapshot of sneaker culture at its most innovative. The journey concluded in San Francisco, where the finalists were flown out for a filmed finale with the Judges. This finale marked a milestone moment: a celebration of creators, culture, and the evolution of custom sneakers as a legitimate art form. Now, for the first time ever, you can own a piece of this history. Each Top 100 sneaker - whether the original pair or a made-to-order version in your size - represents a creator who rose above thousands to earn their place in this landmark Rakuten x Stephen Curry series. This isn’t just a sneaker. It’s a piece of the Art of the Game legacy - and a chapter in the future of sneaker culture.
Unification of Opposites
Product Details
I did not have an idea in mind when I started, I let my intuition and instincts guide me and allowed the design to reveal itself naturally.
The first conscious decision, was selecting colours (Pink and blue) from there my subconscious did the rest! I painted Ideas as they came to me and did not second guess. The colours became the foundation for a concept of polarity, feminine and masculine, sun and moon, black and white etc. It shows a unification of opposites and the true yin and yang balance of the world.
That duality guided the rest of the design and connected directly with my fascination for sacred geometry, the flow of life, the fabric of the universe and how all of these patterns shape the world.
I drew (literally) inspiration from ancient architectural methods and structures like the Fibonacci sequence, the Vesica Piscis, concentric circles, The flower of life and Metatron’s cube. I wanted to do the whole shoe with this design and realised how lofty that goal was. From that point, it was all about making something visually balanced and aesthetically pleasing, whilst still honouring the feeling behind my art.
I also felt like as I am a guy that just goes with the flow and likes to surrender to the moment like water, I wanted to bring that into the design. I wanted to put waves but that felt a little cliché, so I did a combination of water and air that turned into a fluid, organic and almost ethereal movement across the front of the shoe. The hands represent the original creators, they are the tools behind every paint stroke, sketch and idea. From painting to writing or taking that winning shot, hands create mastery.
Finally, I added accents of gold. When I was a kid, growing up in the “rougher” parts of Warrington there was a guy who lived down the road called Mick who wore more gold than Mr T and I was just mesmerised by it. Gold has always felt powerful and precious to me so using it here felt like a nod to that childhood awe and the strength it represents.
The sneaker is a blend of instinct, symbolism and memory. It represents who I am as an artist as well as how I move through the world.
Read the full story of the artwork
This product has been made by the Creator previously and is part of their amazing portfolio. The Creator has listed this item as available to remade for clients.
Additional customisation elements may be available.
Own The Art. Wear The Story.
Discover the Top 100 sneakers from the CANVVS Global Competition - designs hand-picked by our judges from thousands of entries worldwide. Each pair is created by a rising creator pushing the boundaries of art, culture and sneaker design.
By owning one, you’re not just buying a sneaker - you’re supporting emerging talent, championing creativity, and wearing a piece of global competition history.
A HISTORIC COLLABORATION
