Oh Mi-Kyung, Bae Sung-Won Reporter

Yoon Ho-Seob, honorary professor in the Department of Visual Communication Design at Kookmin University (KMU), is a South Korean graphic artist who has devoted his career and his life to protecting the environment through art and design demonstrations, exhibits, lectures and one-on-one visits with citizens. As a green designer, he is holding an exhibition named ‘greencnavas in ddp,’ presenting his greencanvas story, which started from his small studio on the slopes of Bukhansan to the DDP’s Dulegil Gallery, a place that is visited by people from all over the world. Running from Jul.5 to Sep.29, the exhibition presents 10 stories about environmental conservation and spreads the message that we coexist under the bond of sympathy.

Professor Yoon shared with THE KOOKMIN REVIEW heartfelt stories about his life and values as a green designer who works to protect the environment.

1. Hello, professor. Could you please introduce yourself for our readers?                          

My name is Yoon Ho-Seob, and I studied the application of
art in university. I entered university in 1962 and graduated in
1968. After graduation, I first had typical office job, but I later
went to KMU to work as a professor and dean of the Design
Department. After working several years, I retired in 2008 and
started producing artworks as a green designer.

2. You shared your 10 stories through ‘greencanvas in ddp’.
What message would you like to deliver through these stories?

The key message I want to emphasize the most is ‘coexistance,’
which refers to all creatures, not only humans but also all
living things and inanimate beings, living together peacefully
under the bond of sympathy. I also want to promote the
importance of protecting the environment in order to realize
such coexistence. I held this exhibition to spark interest in
the environment and help people recognize the importance
of coexistence. In fact, modern people tend to learn about
environmental problems only through TV programs and books,
forgetting that the most important thing is taking fundamental
action for the health of the planet. Therefore, I hope that
visitors become more sympathetic to environmental concerns
through my exhibition, leading them to protect their livelihoods
by going beyond just thinking and taking real action.

3. Through the poster for ‘greencanvas in ddp’, you expressed
your great affection for Jeju Island’s Indo-Pacific dolphin.
Does the ‘100 Green Dolphin’ artwork have any = special meaning?

One time, I walked around the hall of an exhibition that I was
invited to. There was a white corridor with an empty wall, which
seemed very mysterious to me. Then, I thought that the wall
could be filled with 100 dolphins and get viewers’ attentions. I
chose the dolphin because it is connected to a real issue on Jeju
Island, which was once home to a population of 100 dolphins.
However, the population declined due to ocean pollution, lack
of food sources for the dolphins, and boats sailing too close to
the dolphins so that people could see them, causing injuries.
Thus, I wanted to convey a message about the dolphins’ plight
on the wall and use the dolphins to represent all creatures.

4. Are there any other exhibitions through which you conveyed
messages about environmental concerns through design?

Since 2000, I have held various exhibitions that aimed to
help conserve the environment. Especially, I hold the ‘Green
Summer Exhibition’ every September for one month in my
studio, called ‘greencanvas’ in Ui-dong. As with this ‘greencanvas
in ddp,' the key is that the Green Summer Exhibition is
also open to the public so that anyone can take part in it. For
example, some of the visitors transcribe a book named The
Man Who Planted Trees , which I recommended to them, and
submit the manuscript as a piece!

5. Unlike other exhibitions that simply display artworks,
you open up the entire design process and communicate with visitors.
How does this process convey your message in an impactful way?

When I first hosted this exhibition, I said I would reveal
the entire exhibition process at the DDP. I had some ideas,
but no exact plan for the exhibition, and I said that it would
not be a typical exhibition with only a few artworks. Format
changes constantly as I observe new artworks in the studio
and create artworks whenever I get inspiration. This kind
of exhibition is called a ‘live exhibition’. Many visitors have
come to the exhibition, but the studio is always a mess and
full of materials. A normal exhibition hall does not have this
kind of environment. I also made the exhibition focused on
communication with visitors. For example, I drew artworks on
shirts or bags that visitors brought with them.

6. You create art works by recycling things that have been thrown away.
How did you start doing this kind of art?

I just thought that I should do it. I always make an effort to
minimize energy waste, except for the really essential things.
Whenever I saw things that had been thrown away, such as
plastic bottles and bags, I thought about how I could revitalize
them, and from there, I started to make upcycled works.
Although some people say to me, “You can’t change the planet
just by doing things like this.” I am certain that making small
efforts for the environment in my everyday life is my natural
duty as a green designer. As I mentioned earlier, I show my
belief by taking small actions in my life, not merely paying lip
service to the importance of environmental protection.

7. In the past, you worked in commercial advertising,
but later switched to environmental design.
That must have been a difficult change. What led you to make it?

When I was in elementary school, I experienced the Korean
War and lived in poverty. At that time, I believed that money
was the main thing one needed to live well and started
learning industrial art. I studied industrial art for several years
in university, but all of the events of the Korean War and my
meetings with several environmental analysts inspired me to
become an environmental designer. While serving as dean of
the College of Design at KMU, I made it so that all liberal arts
students had to take a course on the environment in order to
graduate. I also developed an academic degree curriculum
related to environmental design in postgraduate school. All
of these accomplishments were based on my strong belief. If
people do not start caring more about the environment and
just continue to compromise with reality, there will soon be no
place for us on Earth.

8. You must have had a lot of difficulties working as a green designer.
How did you overcome them? What has driven you to continue your career to this day?

Pursuing green design is quite a challenge. The most difficult
thing is that I now find it more difficult to focus, since I
sometimes feel doubtful about my effectiveness in promoting
the significance of environmental conservation and calling
for action. Nevertheless, nothing worthwhile can be achieved
without difficulty. Particularly, I was motivated by the book,
The Man Who Planted Trees , which really helped me overcome
my difficulties. The book is a story about one man who plants
trees, peacefully changing the world beyond himself and
the people around him. Whenever I read the book, it always
inspires me to create my work and makes me feel a strong
sense of commitment as a green designer.

9. You mentioned that design’s main role and responsibility is
to minimize environmental destruction, which is likely difficult for designers today.
How can design and environmental conservation coexist?

I think responsibility is the most important thing. We need to
think about how our work will impact the world. When we do
things that are harmful for the planet, this is kind of a tragedy
because we are one of the creatures of this planet. So, one of
the tasks facing us is conveying this message in an easy-to-understand
way. Also, nowadays, competition between people
has become a serious issue, and I don’t have any ability to stop
it. One thing that could help with this is the principle of love.
Love has a difficult and complex meaning, but it can overcome
any problems. I have created some artworks related to love as
an environmental designer.

10. As environmental problems are occurring globally,
how do you feel about the Earth’s future? Also,
could you elaborate on your ideas for protecting the planet?

I am afraid that the future of our planet is rather dark. The
Earth is like a rational being, because it acts according to
cause and effect. If we use our air conditioners too much and
produce excessive greenhouse gases, global warming occurs
as a result. In other words, although humans are concerned
about the planet, we are still the main cause of environmental
pollutions. This means that the Earth can be healthy only if
we change. Hence, in my life, I will do all of the small things I
can to help the environment, such as reducing water use and
patronizing slow fashion brands, instead of simply sitting back
and doing nothing. I hope all of you cultivate the belief that
one person’s effort can change the world, so just start with
small actions every day.

11. Lastly, could you give some advice for students
who dream of being a designer like you?

I would like to show one artwork that was presented in the
studio. It is a bowling lane that was installed alongside the
studio, with bowling pins made of pure soil and balls stuffed
with trash. If you roll this ball made of trash, it's like throwing
trash in the sand. In other words, you are doing something
that pollutes the environment. I hope that through this game,
the audience will immediately become aware of environmental
pollution. Through this, I wanted to express that doing the
basics is the most important thing we can do. For the next
generation, taking the most basic actions for the environment
is one of the ways to become an environmental designer. If we
do not do this, we will lose our pride in this planet.

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