ddp design fair

 The world's leading contemporary art fair recently returned to Seoul, and it was even bigger and better than last year. Following in the footsteps of Paris, Miami, London, Basel, and Hong Kong, Seoul has come to expect a huge influx of domestic and international visitors every year during the fair. Artists, galleries, collectors, members of the art community, and the general public are expected to flock to the fair this year because it's a brief window of opportunity to see world-class artworks ranging from millions to billions of won in one place. However, there is also a sense that to many people on the other side of the fence, it can be seen as “beautiful trash”. Just as Banksy's billions of won a piece painting on the windows of a ruined building had an owner who destroyed the house because he thought it was just graffiti, how many works at this art fair will be preserved through the ages with a true understanding of the value of the artwork and the inspiration and comfort that art can bring to people?

 We live in an era where AI is building homes and clothes, treating and educating people, and even classifying, recognizing, predicting, and creating works of art. User-centered design, ethics and fairness, visual and interaction design, performance and efficiency optimization, continuous improvement, ethics and fairness... these are the principles of AI design, and we want AI systems that are trained based on exhaustive data in a way that minimizes bias and respects diversity to have a positive impact on users and society. At this point, I wonder, while the new paradigm of AI will bring an endless amount of art, industry, and so on, what is the alternative to AI for the global tropics, where the temperature is predicted to rise by more than 4 degrees in 7 years? Could many of those principles really be data reflecting the ecosystems of half the planet that may disappear in seven years?

Will we still be in the same rush to create and consume "beautiful trash" as we are now? What is the irreplaceable thing that designers and small business owners can do in the new era that AI will usher in?

The answer I thought of is communication, collaboration, and know-how. I hope they will eventually become our goals and obligations to sustain the planet and humanity. I hope we don't repeat the contradictions that have created so many tumblers and eco-bags in the name of environmental protection. Some of the richest and most powerful people in the Middle East are investing trillions of dollars in research to extend human life. It makes me ask more seriously, what does it mean to live another 200 years with trillions of “beautiful trash” on a planet that has become a sea of fire and water?