AKN Eye #122

AKN Eye #122 by Hayk Ananyan reimagines the AKN form through the lens of movement, memory, and perspective. Inspired by a sneaker he personally designed, Ananyan constructs this sculpture using authentic sneaker materials—leather, suede, rubber—transforming the familiar into something sculptural, tactile, and profound.

But why a shoe for an eye? Because the shoe represents the road a person has walked, and that road becomes the background of their vision. Every path shapes how we see. In this way, AKN Eye #122 becomes more than an object—it becomes a narrative: of experience, direction, and identity.

The piece speaks in two voices. One side is inscribed with the famous quote:

"Learn the rules like a pro, so you can break them like an artist."

The other carries the quiet but potent reminder:

"It’s all in the vision."

Together, they define the work’s philosophy—honor the craft, challenge convention, and understand that perception is everything.

Formally, the eye is split—one half soft and kind, the other sharp and alert—mirroring the dual nature of human emotion and the shifting lens of point of view. How we see something, and how something sees us, is never fixed.

Unlike any other piece in the AKN series, #122 defies the expected—not only through its material and message, but in how it feels. It is a sculpture born from fashion, rooted in rebellion, and guided by vision. A work that doesn’t follow paths—it makes them.