Eco Expo Korea: The Graphic Design That Raises Awareness about Food Desertification

A Unique Poster Design by Juwon Kim and Nakyeong Shin

The graphic design '404 not found' by Juwon Kim and Nakyeong Shin made its debut at the Eco Expo in 2019. This unique poster design aims to raise awareness about the issue of food desertification, where the availability of fresh and nutritious food is limited due to industrialization and processed food. The designers highlight the rapid decline in plant species, which are the essential raw materials for many foods, and the resulting disconnection between humans and the origins of their food.

The '404 not found' design features multiple pixel layers that repeatedly appear and disappear, symbolizing the damage caused by food desertification and the emergence of artificially selected concepts. These layers cover up the previous ones by changing their ratio, representing the gap between the original plant and the artificially selected new concept, much like the error message '404 not found' on the internet.

One of the unique properties of this design is its interactive nature. The pixel layers change based on the pollution level of the environment, the scale of industrialization, and the number of people in the current plant species. When all layers are full, they turn red, indicating the severity of food desertification. Additionally, the hidden objects within the layers provide graphical representations of the progress of food desertification, allowing viewers to visually understand the impact of their food choices.

The '404 not found' design was created as a poster and web interactive design. The poster itself measures 1189mm x 841mm (A0 size) and was displayed at the COEX Hall in Gangnam, Seoul, from October 13 to November 10, 2019. The designers conducted extensive research on the disappearing raw materials (plants) of food and quantified the correlation between processed/fast food consumption and the loss of plant prototypes. This research formed the basis for the design's concept of "artificial selection of plant concepts."

Juwon Kim and Nakyeong Shin's '404 not found' design received recognition for its creativity and ingenuity. It was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in the Graphics, Illustration, and Visual Communication Design category in 2021. This prestigious award honors designs that demonstrate outstanding technical and creative skills while contributing to improvements in quality of life.