Some shoes aren't meant for walking. Some are meant for sitting on display in a stuffy art gallery, being gawked at by hundreds of passersby each day. Others are meant for looking pretty on models' feet, receiving very little abrasive contact with the ground. And some shoes aren't really shoes at all.

These pseudo-shoes are the footwear of the art world. They're created by artists for specific means, be it that they are metaphors for consumerism or that they act like tiny sculptures. In fact, a lot of what can be considered "shoe art" stems from the advertising world, where creative geniuses transform shoes into desire and strength. But for "traditional" artists who make art for art's sake, shoes take it to a whole different level.

Inside Beat shines the spotlight on a few artists and designers who have done spectacular and often strange things with shoes. From a British street artist with a knack for manipulating elephant poop to our beloved Christian Louboutin, there are people out there trying to redefine what it means to walk.

Elephant Dung Heels

It's common to find some chewed gum or toilet paper stuck to the button of your shoes, but what about 10 inches of elephant dung? U.K. artist INSA proudly displayed colorful — and certainly smelly — platform heels in Tate Britain's Bring the Noise exhibit last March. The stilettos, titled "Anything goes when it comes to (s)hoes…," are intricately painted and beaded despite the repulsiveness of their material.

So what inspired INSA to use elephant poop? The Tate asked the famed street artist to create a response to Chris Ofili's "The Holy Virgin Mary," a controversial piece depicting the Christian figure using elephant poop (among other eye-raising materials). INSA not only settled on the piece's signature smelly stuff, but also tracked down the same elephant family from which Ofili obtained the excrement 15 years ago.

Optical Illusion

There is one person whose life calling is to encompass both the fashion and art sides of shoe design: Kobi Levi. An art and design graduate from Israel, Levi works as a freelance designer and has had his work showcased in various exhibitions across the world. For Levi, shoes are wearable sculptures that can have lives of their own when not being used for walking.

Some of his most popular pieces include a bubblegum stiletto that resembles a sneaker trying to escape a sticky trap, double boots where the heel versus the toe is anyone's guess, and a primary colored peep-toe heel that looks like a playground slide. As of now, mainly art collectors and museums purchase Levi's work because they carry hefty price tags due to their one-of-a-kindness. Luckily for fashionistas, Levi is considering expanding his work into a women's fashion shoe line.

Less Height, More Air

So far, stilettos and platform heels have taken the spotlight as the most artsy of all shoes. But can't something be done with the more comfortable Nike Air Jordans? Vancouver-based artist Brian Jungen has found a place for those brightly colored high-tops in his "found art" escapades. He creates paradoxes using popular everyday objects: consumer items versus native artifacts.

Jungen's series Prototypes for New Understanding contains sleek, modern aboriginal masks meticulously constructed out of reappropriated Air Jordans. Inspired by how the Nike's colors resembled the tribal colors of a Pacific Northwest indigenous population, Jungen restitched numerous sneakers. The signature swooshes became eyes and shoe tongues became ears. In some pieces he has even included human hair to complete the mask effect.

Christian Louboutin

A Christian Louboutin heel is the modern day equivalent of Cinderella's coveted glass slipper. Perhaps the fairy godfather of our time, Louboutin has been making women squeal with delight at the sight of his sexy stilettos — some call it a red-soled revolution. Louboutin has only been around since 1991, but his shoes will stand the test of time. Adored by celebrities, Louboutins are a status symbol. The now trademarked red sole is the mark of a classy and wealthy woman. His shoes have been described as pieces of art from the very beginning, but we've compiled the best of the best to give you a visual feast of shoe candy.

Alexander McQueen

Fashion is still mourning the death of one of its most beloved designers, Alexander McQueen. The young designer committed suicide just last year, and the world has lost some color. McQueen made headlines just before his death with his spring 2010 collection. The collection featured shoes reminiscent of aliens and sea creatures with mind bending arches that only Lady Gaga could love. Gaga featured the lobster-claw like shoes in her "Bad Romance" video, and fashion magazines featured the shoes in almost every spring editorial. The 2010 collection was not the first time McQueen broke the rules. Take a look at some of his most bizarre and beautiful works of art.

Inside Beat takes a look at some of the most drool-worthy options that will satisfy the artsy side in every fashionista.