Mina Cheon aka Kim Il Soon’s GLOBAL PEACE SHOES

"Can't Move Forward Without the Other"

 

In Pyongyang this September, the South Korean President Moon Jae-in spoke to the North Koreans about reunification and how “We had lived together for 5,000 years, but apart for just 70 years…” – It’s time to walk the extra mile for unity and peace. He also walked the Mt. Paekdu with Kim Jong-un. 

As a global Korean political pop artist, who makes art known as "Polipop," Mina Cheon (aka North Korean Kim Il Soon) presents this pair of "Global Peace Shoes” to promote Korean unification and global peace. Also known as "Reconciliation Shoes" or "Unification Shoes," the shoe project is a part of her ongoing global art activism work that advocates for positive change, especially supporting loving exchanges between North and South Korea to impact peace on earth. Join the artist today by Sharing, Following, Favoriting, Liking, or Walking the Peace Shoes. #minacheonstudio

The Global Peace Shoes project brings awareness about the Koreas and its relationship with the world, and how steps towards end of war, cooperation, and unification can help shape the future of global peace. Artist Mina Cheon believes that the day of crossing the DMZ in these shoes is not far away, and by walking in them today means participating in the global performance of – stepping forward together, united, one foot at a time – towards peace. And, that we can’t walk or move forward together without the other.

 

THE GLOBAL PERFORMANCE WALK FOR PEACE SCORE

The Global Peace Shoes 99-Day Challenge aka The Global Performance Walk for Peace is simple – wear your art for 99 consecutive days and share a photo each day on any of your social media (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc) and post it with any of these hashtags daily or a variation of them: #koreasunite #stepforward #cantmovewithouttheother #marchforglobalpeace #letsrunwithit #letsflywithit #onestepatatime #makingprogress #change #globalpeace #globalpeaceshoes #polipop etc. You are welcomed to create a reiteration or derivative concept and format to the performance that works to advocate for global peace with the shoes, but please don't forget to #minacheonstudio #ethancohengallery for wider audience and sharing.

Ethan Cohen Gallery’s artist Mina Cheon (aka Kim Il Soon) is a global Korean new media artist, scholar, and educator, and professor at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) who has shown her art Polipop (political pop art) internationally, with the latest presentation of 100,000 Choco·Pie art installation for the audience to eat at the Busan Biennale 2018 where the South Korean President Moon and First Lady came to participate in “Eat Choco·Pie Together” before heading to Pyongyang in September.

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Positive Action and #99-Day Challenge Global Performance Walk For Peace
As Marcel Duchamp championed selecting everyday objects for his conceptual art or the way Andy Warhol selected daily products for pop art, the Global Peace Shoes are a poignant selection for Mina Cheon’s political pop art, Polipop. She hopes to inspire others to wear them in solidarity for Korean unification and global peace. She is the first to take on the #99-Day Challenge and leading the Global Performance Walk for Peace.

 

The Artist Mina Cheon’s Story

“My uncle Hokyun Chun was the founder of SSamzie Co., of South Korea which was one of the first national fashion brands. This extraordinary company worked in collaboration with contemporary Korean artists and I got to work many years on amazing projects such as directing fashion shows, designing products, and creating interior store spaces. His company expanded with a SSamzieGil Shopping Mall, Dalki cartoon characters and theme parks, and SSamzie Space, an artist residency and alternative art space that supported many contemporary Korean artists. With all of the remarkable accomplishments of the company, I grew to be an artist in the fertile grounds of blossoming cooperate patronage of Korea. With a new turn of business towards farming and involvement with Korea’s Green Party, my uncle’s new collection of shoes made by "Little Farmers" includes the Peace Shoes that are truly original and innovative, conscientious fashion wearable-art to date. I think it's the perfect culmination of culture, commentary, politics, democracy, and fashion – and carries the spirit and momentum of global peace today.” (Artist Mina Cheon)