GWANGJU BIENNALE FOUNDATION JOINS ICOGRADA

Montreal (Canada) - Icograda is pleased to welcome the Gwangju Biennale Foundation as its newest Associate Member.
Montreal (Canada) - Icograda is pleased to welcome the Gwangju Biennale Foundation as its newest Associate Member.

22.06.2007 News

Montreal (Canada) - Icograda is pleased to welcome the Gwangju Biennale Foundation as its newest Associate Member. The Foundation joins 19 other associate Members in 14 countries. In total, Icograda's membership includes 197 members in 57 countries.

Founded in 1995, the Foundation manages the Gwangju Biennale to contribute to the promotion of art and to the development of the national Korean culture. Through international cultural exchange, the Biennale strives to achieve a mutual understanding and collaboration with the art and design communities around the world, and in doing so raise the City of Gwangju to become one of the centers of culture and art in the Pacific area in the 21st century.

The 2007 Gwangju Design Biennale follows the successful inaugural 2005 edition, where over 30,000 people attended. During the opening ceremony on 5 October, Kim Dae Joong, former President of South Korea and Nobel Peace Prize Winner, will read the World Design Peace Announcement.

The main exhibition will be divided into several themed zones.

Theme space/Light tunnel/Light Plaza
Light brightens our world. Besides the literal meaning of light brightening the Earth as the morning rays of sunshine spell the end to darkness, the word "light" carries deeper spiritual as well as ethical connotations as well. The main exhibition represents the heart of the Gwangju Design Biennale 2007. This sector will feature both the symbolic pieces of "Light Tunnel" as well as the "Light Plaza" by interpolating both the figurative as well as the literal sense of the word "light".

Link to the future
The imagination of design is the essence of utopia. Utopia in design correlates developments in technology with the future of daily living in a manner that is amiable to the environment. The first piece of the main exhibit deals with design and the future. Imagining the future is tantamount to imagining the future of design. This sector deals with advances in digital technology and design, digital convergence, the ubiquity of environment and design, the future of urban planning and design, visual communications and design, as well as the evolution of design in home appliances.

Idea, identity, inspiration
Identity reflects the true character of a person through their constituent words and symbols. The true nature of a person is a composite of diverse factors, from economic to cultural. In truth, a designer is an alchemist of sorts. The designer gathers disparate elements, collecting positives and negatives, contradictions, and finds inspiration often from outside himself, in others. The only condition that restrains the designer is his adherence to basic fundamental principles of design. This sector offers a reading of the designer s subjectivity in creating amidst this chaos, guided only by the conditions set forth by design itself. The voice of designremains strong and true and speaks in this exhibition.

Green growth
The coexistence of man and nature is a complex relationship. Historically, nature has been the object of man s conquest and the source of exploitation in the name of advancement. Perhaps for this reason, nature is so hostile to man now. Unless there is peace between man and nature, nature enraged may very well spell the end of man. Environmental catastrophes caused by global warming, the stuff of science fiction movies, could very well portend our doom. Design is an intercessor that is able to conciliate relations between man and nature. Environmentally conscious design as well as energy saving design offers a chance to continue on the path to economic prosperity without harming the environment. This sector sheds light on this important issue.

Horizon of humanity
In the past, design was contrived as a means of improving human civilization both economically as well as aesthetically. Design s role in society, its function in the community, and to the fields of ethics and democracy, is a topic of fascinating scope. Designers are visionaries and creatives, but at the same time maintain their position as scholarly researchers of society. In this sector you will meet several examples of social design, "Super normal", projects to help less prosperous nations and universal design.

Tides of light
One of the most important discoveries leading to man s enlightenment was that of fire. Through design, humanity has enlarged its appreciation of both time and space. Light cannot be looked upon as a tool that makes objects visible. Rather, light allows objects to attain their perfect form. Although light has allowed for many advances, there are many fundamental questions which remain unanswered about the properties of light itself. This sector deals artificial lighting tinged with human qualities. Clothing turns to image, music is transformed to light, light is reflected through crystal. All these mysterious transmutations can be experienced here. Of special note, over 100 works ranging from pieces from the Italian design boom as well as international prize winning public entries will be on display.

designboom mart
Gwangju Design Biennale 2007 represents the passion of design and designers. In particular, Gwangju Design Biennale 2007 is a showcase of brilliant, young independent designers. These young independent designers represent the vitality of design, guaranteeing the future through their potential. At the forefront of design by creating new trends these young designers remain poised to guide the future. This sector will showcase over 50 international independent designers and their works in an exciting marketplace atmosphere where their designs can be sampled.

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For further information please contact:

Icograda Secretariat
E: secretariat@icograda.org

Montreal (Canada) - Icograda is pleased to welcome the Gwangju Biennale Foundation as its newest Associate Member.
Montreal (Canada) - Icograda is pleased to welcome the Gwangju Biennale Foundation as its newest Associate Member.

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