Hyundai displays design philosophy

Can an automotive company show its design philosophy through art?

Hyundai Motor Group’s answer to the question is now on display at the “SIM: Sculpture in Motion” exhibition at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in downtown Seoul until Jan. 10.

Aimed at promoting its fluidic sculpture design philosophy, two pieces of internationally acclaimed installation art are on display at the Allim 2 exhibition hall reflecting the aesthetic catchphrase of the company.

The first piece, designed by Reuben Margoli, shows 400 wooden blocks tied to two electric motors to constantly form the fluidic shapes of a wave. “I was inspired by the beautiful movements in nature, mathematics and my love for making stuff,” Margoli told The Korea Herald.

The second piece, “Fluidic,” consists of 12,000 acrylic balls displaying an image of nature ― starting from a small dot, evolving into a line and then to a large mass, then going all the back to a small dot again ― with eight laser beams.

Both works received the prestigious Red Dot Award.

In a separate room, visitors can also enjoy music inspired by the sculpture, composed by Hyundai’s sound designer Park Do-young. Outdoor, the carmaker has displayed four of its concept cars from 1992 to present.

“We wanted to show that design is more than just drawing or making a car in an auto company,” said Lee Byung-seob, senior vice president at Hyundai Design Center.

By Bae Ji-sook  (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)