SWNA Solo Exhibition ‘The Chemical Reaction’ at DDP
31 August 2023
This exhibition showcases a collaboration between SW (Sukwoo Lee) and & Associate (affiliated designers), as part of the Liberal Office project, which respects both SWNA's client work and the creative pursuits of its designers. Defined as "Chemical Reaction," the exhibition highlights the constant influence between director and designer, as well as fellow designers, through their collaborative relationships.
The exhibition features two main sections: the first consists of representative consulting projects (presented as individual videos) that each designer has worked on with SW as a member of SWNA. The second displays actual products, such as lighting and eyewear, created in collaboration with Korean brands—LIMAS (lighting) and BREEZM (eyewear)—as personal projects by the designers. The main exhibition video is a collaborative work with the video studio Defire.
The term "Chemical Reaction" is visually interpreted through design elements such as the initials of the designers, reminiscent of chemical symbols, as well as a laboratory-like space filled with experimental installations, objects, videos, and graphics. Another section introduces SWNA’s mass-produced products and scale mock-ups, demonstrating their design process.
Through this exhibition, SWNA aims to reveal its design process and the communication between SW and the designers, exploring the reality and future possibilities of industrial design offices in Korea, while envisioning a new generation of design collectives.
