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Shoes Tree gets mixed reviews

May 23, 2017 - 17:03 By Kim Da-sol
Shoes Tree, an art installation made of 30,000 worn-out shoes near Seoul Station, has elicited mixed reviews since its unveiling Saturday.

“At first, I thought it was a pile of garbage. Looking at it close, it is surely a garbage mountain and smells really bad,” said Kim Gui-ri, a 49-year-old Seoul citizen, participating in a city-run program to discover and promote public art in the capital. 

A citizen takes a photo of installation art Shoes Tree in Seoul Station on Saturday. (Kim Da-sol/The Korea Herald)

A work of garden designer and environmental artist Hwang Ji-hae, Shoes Tree is cascading tree bushes made up of worn-out shoes, plants and flowers.

“The idea of recycling worn-out materials is creative, but since it was created as public art, whose artistic meaning is to be appreciated by citizens, I personally think Shoes Tree is not serving its purpose correctly,” a local freelance art journalist Cho Sook-hyun said.

Meanwhile, some pointed to the true definition of art.

“Since art doesn’t have to look beautiful all the time, I think Shoes Tree, as art itself, can portray different perspectives of appreciating art,” said freelance artist surnamed Kim.

Artist Hwang explained to the Korea Herald that she wanted to throw a question about our consumption-oriented lifestyle, by giving a new life and meaning to dumped shoes. It was also meant to remember the historical significance of the Yeomcheon-gyo handmade shoes street near Seoul Station. 

“Through shoes, something we wear every day and an easy material to get, I wanted to show people that everyday material can also become part of art,” she said. 

A partipant of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s “Arts on Seoul’s street found by citizens” takes a photo of installation art Shoes Tree in Seoul Station on Saturday. (Kim Da-sol/The Korea Herald)

The Seoul Metropolitan Government’s “Arts on Seoul’s street found by citizens” is comprised of 101 Seoul residents on a mission to find and promote the hidden artistic gems of Seoul.

Groups of participants are joined by field experts and art connoisseurs to find improvement points and lesser-known art in the capital. Their discoveries are shared via the city’s official social media channels until the program ends in July.

By Kim Da-sol (ddd@heraldcorp.com)