Kia took part in the 2021 Gwangju Design Biennale. It’s the 7th Gwangju Design Biennale they’re participating in since their first time in 2009. Kia’s participation so far contributed in the diversity of Gwangju Design Biennale’s exhibition composition and provided novel displays for the visitors. Previously exhibited works mainly included craftwork created by Kia’s designers and artworks such as paintings, photography, and sculptures. Visitors, admiring the fine art works created by automobile designers, experienced the passion and spirit of challenge of these designers. What would this year’s Gwangju Design Biennale Kia exhibition hall look like?
This year’s Gwangju Design Biennale Kia exhibition hall is quite unlike that of the previous years. In the past, works that depict the creativity of the designers were displayed to culturally communicate with the visitors through the various genre experiments and creativity of the Kia designers. This year, works that display the newly established Kia design philosophy and 5 design principles were submitted for the 2021 Gwangju Design Biennale theme ‘d-Revolution.’ Visitors at this year’s Kia exhibition hall will be able to admire works and experience Kia’s design philosophy. The newly introduced Kia design philosophy is about fusing contrasting concepts and creating something new; “Opposites United (creative fusion of contrasting concepts).” It’s about creating something new by combining things at the opposite ends in this fast-paced world.
The displayed works embody the 5 design principles that are required to unfold their new design philosophy “Opposites United.” ‘Bold for Nature’ ？ creating beauty with humans and nature & people and materials themselves; ‘Tension for Serenity’ ？ seeking out harmony amidst chaos to create a vision for the future; ‘Technology for Life’ ？ creating memorable experiences by putting life into technology; ‘Joy for Reason’ - sharing future values by providing the joy of experience; and ’Power to Progress’ ？ creating new value to redefine progress and shape the future. Here are works displayed at the Kia exhibition hall, composed based on the 5 promises.
When you step into the Kia exhibition hall, you will first see the work “DI Monument Display.” It was created in the ”┤” form, in which two types of shapes are connected. The property of matter between the horizontal type display and the right-side large display as well as visual contrast are shown while a form in which both properties of matters are again united is shown to depict “Opposites United,” where contrasting concepts are fused together. Following the ambient video, videos that show 5 design principles are shown in order, aesthetically expressing Kia’s design philosophy.
Another work is “DI Mirrored Room.” The column located in the center is produced with 4-sided display; from this column a video about Kia’s design philosophy is played. The wall in the space where the column is located in is made up of mirrors. The space was composed so that the mirrors installed all around could induce spectators to wholly experience the Kia philosophy in an immersed environment. You can feel an infinite sense of space if you enter a space surrounded by mirrors and admire works. The object mirror is an intuitive tool that explicates Kia’s design philosophy well. They separate spaces, but through such separation, it allows people to feel another type of infinite expansion that differs from existing spaces. Admire the “DI Mirrored Room” and focus on the message Kia conveys.
If you exit the mirror room and look towards the walls, you will see 3 different sculptures. These sculptures are the “DI Sculpture.” They depict 3 design principles connected to the 3 vehicles shown this year through the form of a sculpture. “Power to Progress” shows off Kia’s innovative endeavors towards the future. Infinite space was expressed through the utilization of display video and mirror. You can read Kia’s message of creating new value, redefining progress, and shaping the future. “Power to Progress” was implemented onto Kia’s electric car EV6 design. The dynamic automotive power and speed were realized through the design.
This sculpture contains the meaning of “Technology for Life.” It delivers the message of giving life to technology and providing a memorable experience for the customers. It’s a work in the form of a cube, consisted of 6-sided display. This cube slowly rotates, and the spectators can think about the technologies that enrich the lives of people through the repeated videos played on the digital cube.
To which Kia automobile was this design principle applied? It’s the flagship sedan K8. The focus is on the human-oriented sentiment and experience, realizing elements that can provide differentiated experience through the harmony between innovative technology and design while also embodying a future-oriented concept in the design.
The next sculpture is “Bold for Nature.” This work stems from a huge tree format and moves up, turning into an abstract sculpture. This sculpture displays Kia’s design principle of creating solid beauty out of humans and nature & people and materials themselves. “Bold for Nature” was applied to Kia’s SUV, Sportage’s design. The car was designed so that the natural sentiment SUV should have as well as modernness would be combined together to be pure and yet impactful. ‘Tension for Serenity’ and ‘Joy for Reason,’ which are not realized as works among the 5 design principles, can be experienced through the videos in the “DI Mirrored Room;” when the related automobile designs are launched, they shall come to life for the customers through the form of a sculpture.
So far, we’ve looked into the works that are placed in the 2021 Gwangju Design Biennale Kia exhibition hall. We found values through the contrast of properties of mattes that seemed unlikely to coexist and together confirmed Kia’s message of pursuing harmony yet to be found alongside new sentiments. The spectators who have experienced “Opposites United” through visual videos and sculpture works will be able to understand Kia’s design philosophy in an easier and more familiar way if they are to encounter the automobiles. The 2021 Gwangju Design Biennale exhibition takes place until October 31st at the Gwangju Biennale exhibition hall. Come visit the Kia exhibition hall, open up all your five senses and admire Kia’s designs.
HMG Journal Operation Team
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