Biennale searches 'clue' for designs
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One recent car commercial rambles on about the car's new functions but then ends like this: "So what? Nobody cares if it is not beautiful. Beauty is a must."
Yes, a product's attractive design has become one of the most important factors to make a hit item today, sometimes even more than its functions.
"The world's design market is practically saturated. New techniques used to be followed by new designs in the past but now it is the other way around. We need to find innovative new designs that can recharge the market again," said 2009 Gwangju Design Biennale General Director Eun Byeong-soo.
The third Gwangju Design Biennale came forth to suggest "The Clue" - also this year's title - which will eventually lead us to better designs.
The clues revealed by the biennale can be summed up as "Korean culture" and "good for everyone."
The biennale has one main exhibition divided into five parts - Clothing, Eating, Living, Enlightening, Enjoying - three special project exhibitions - Design to Save, Design for Care, Street - and a "Sing Sing Noraebang," a giant karaoke room installed in front of the Biennale Hall.
The main exhibition underway at Biennale Hall is the one that sheds new light on Korean traditional and modern culture.
Interestingly, however, the participating foreign artists outnumber Korean artists by 72 percent to 28 percent.
"It means that many foreign artists are showing works based on Korean culture. We first came up with the basic concept, gave the artists enough information, and they immediately fell in love with what they learned. Each interpreted Korean culture in their unique ways. The works reflecting Sosewon would be a good example," Eun said.
Sosewon is a beautiful Korean garden situated at Damyang, South Jeolla Province. The place is not that large but is well-known for its perfect harmony between wooden architectures and nature.
Some Korean and international artists each reinterpreted Sosewon in a two by two meter square space using various materials such as wood, plastics, lights or bamboo-looking steels. The exhibits are shown at the Biennale's "Living" section.
The "Eating" division greets visitors by stinging their nostrils with a spicy smell. Dried red peppers are piled up like a small mountain in the middle of the room in the form of Sungryemun. Looking carefully, one can spot the roads around Sungryemun that leads to City hall and Gwanghwamun, also filled with peppers.
Other than this sensational exhibit, more Korean foods and whimsical tableware are also showcased there.
The "Enjoying" section starts by exhibiting music equipment chronologically from Thomas Elva Edison's phonometer to iPods. The section's highlight is at its final room where dozens of Korean traditional instruments hang from the ceiling.
The "Clothing" section introduces designs inspired from hanbok and the "Enlightening" section features works based on Hangeul.
While the main exhibits emphasize Korean culture, the three special projects introduce nice designs that can satisfy everyone.
First, the "Design to Save" project showcases numerous everyday goods that were common in modern Korea, reminding visitors that new designs are hidden everywhere and that they can be derived from anything by anyone.
Then the "Design to Care" project displays household items from scissors to kitchen sinks that are specially designed for the disabled.
The "Street" project is literally underway on the streets and not in the Biennale Hall. Two Korean traditional houses and Gwangju Speer Girls' high school, all located in Yanglim-dong, southern Gwangju Metropolitan City, gives out an interesting ambience with modern items packed in their ancient buildings.
If you are wondering "Are these just insightful design works, or are they contemporary art?" after looking around the nearly 2,000 exhibits at the biennale, you have seen it well.
The organizers confessed that this year's biennale went a step closer to contemporary art while the first two had focused on commercial goods, mostly produced by companies.
So while this year's exhibits are definitely more fun, abundant and stimulating than the previous years, it looks like Gwangju Design Biennale has created itself another assignment for the future: Differentiating itself from its sister festival - the famous "Gwangju Biennale" centering around contemporary art.
The third Gwangju Design Biennale runs through Nov. 4 in Gwangju Metropolitan City. Tickets are 7,000 won for adults, 4,000 won for adolescents and 2,000 won for children.
For more information, visit www.gb.or.kr or call (062) 608-4114.
(claire@heraldm.com)
By Park Min-young
