Artist Joel Shields Pays Tribute to Pulse Nightclub Victims with 49 Shoe Forms

Venice Beach artist Joel Shields (aka Venice Amplified) returned to the City of West Hollywood on Tuesday with his brand of pop-up art installations where he mainly uses the colors of the rainbow to make a statement. This time, he paid tribute to the memory of the victims of the Pulse Nightclub mass shooting, which left 49 dead on June 12, 2016. Shields placed 49 rainbow-colored shoe forms at the John Reed Fitness building to represent the 49 lives lost

At first security did not know what he was doing, or what to make of the colorful shoe forms. After explaining the meaning of the installation, he was allowed to keep it up for most of the day.

“Pride is not easy for everyone,” he told WEHO TIMES. “That’s it. That’s all I have to say.”

His installation received local attention from people passing by on Tuesday. They stopped to ask questions and took photos.

“I had the incredible experience of coming upon this poignant art installation on Santa Monica Boulevard today by Artist Venice Amplified in memory of the Anniversary of the Pulse nightclub mass shooting…49 victims/ 49 shoe forms,” wrote Interior Designer Mark Lewison on his Instagram.

WeHo Times met Shields in 2021 when he did a similar pop-up art installation outside of the then freshly shuttered Rage Nightclub. He displayed portraits of each victim from the Pulse massacre with a short bio. They were originally lined on the floor, but the artist felt it was disrespectful, so he placed them on rainbow-colored display stands inside the patio He again faced some resistance, but was eventually allowed to stay.

With the blessing of the main security guard at the John Reed Fitness building, Shields plans to return and feature the installation once again on Wednesday morning, so that people don’t forget one of the worst mass shootings in US History as they get ready to celebrate WeHo Pride this coming weekend.