‘Design Of Memories’ is a sculptural installation that uses large mylar balloons shaped like distorted popular cartoon characters, painted from white to different shades of grey then fading into their original colors. The work was exhibited in Zaha Hadid’s Dongdaemun Design Plaza, the cultural hub/museum in the heart of Seoul. Along with the installation of hundreds of balloons, the exhibition included outdoor public art installations around the museum.
The work is meant to be dreamlike. Icons that exist in our collective consciousness are a reminiscence of our own narratives and histories. They are the now-vague representations of characters that grew with us; their colors and shapes hold meaning and emotion. They are globally recognizable and inspire similar feelings among people around the world. Altered, some so that they can still be identified, others so that their images are completely unrecognizable, they become like ghosts, symbolizing the capitalist culture that is embedded within our childish self. The work within the art space shows 150 balloons together, in 3 clouds shooting from the ground to the floor within the space so that they may be interacted with by the visitors. The balloons range from 116cm to 170cm in height.
It uses implied imagery to create a bold statement that is at once impactful and playful: imagery in which we do need to see color or words, but use shape and feeling to define identity and create a story. There is no distinction between art, life, our thoughts and our memories.

‘Design Of Memories’ was supported by the US Embassy to Seoul, Pernod Ricard, Absolut Vodka, Public Delivery and DDP.