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[email protected] OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA PRESENTS EXHIBITION EXPLORING THE HISTORY, CULTURAL SIGNIFICANCE, AND DESIGN EVOLUTION OF LONGTIME FASHION STAPLE—SNEAKERS More Than 140 Iconic Sneakers Spanning Multiple Decades on Display, Including Rare Collectibles, Celebrity “Sneakerhead” Collections, and High-End Fashion Designs Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture on View December 22, 2016 – April 2, 2017 (Oakland, CA) July 22, 2016 —This winter, the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) will present Out of the Box: The Rise of Sneaker Culture, the first museum exhibition in the US to explore the significance, complex history, and design evolution of sneakers. Originating at the Bata Shoe Museum in Toronto, the touring exhibition is organized by the American Federation of Arts (AFA) and the Bata Shoe Museum, and is curated by Bata Shoe Museum Senior Curator Elizabeth Semmelhack. OMCA Curator of Public Practice Evelyn Orantes is organizing the presentation in Oakland. A $4 charge will be included in addition to general admission pricing for this exhibition. Sneakers have long been a fashion staple and status symbol, worn by millions of people and transcending generations and socioeconomic status. Within the exhibition, visitors will view 140 iconic sneakers from the 19th century to the present, including rare examples from the archives of brand-name manufacturers such as Adidas, Nike, Puma, and Reebok, some of which are being publicly exhibited for the first time. “Sneakers are more than just a shoe—they are an expression of personal identity and a reflection of pop culture, whether it’s the latest sports fashion or technology-driven creations,” says OMCA Curator of Public Practice Evelyn Orantes.