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 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. 

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)