MMCA echo-friendly living products ©MMCA
The National Museum of Modern and
Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) has launched three types of eco-friendly
everyday living products made from discarded exhibition waste, reflecting ESG
(Environmental, Social, and Governance) values.
According to exhibition waste disposal
companies last year, a typical art exhibition generates around 5 tons of waste,
while industrial exhibitions produce an average of 270 kg per 9m² booth, and
large-scale exhibition waste can reach 20 tons per event. Among these,
temporary walls are particularly difficult to recycle, making them nearly
disposable.
To promote a sustainable museum culture,
MMCA has been actively reducing carbon emissions by reusing exhibition
structures and donating materials to related institutions. In line with this
initiative, the museum collaborated with designer Haneul Kim to creatively
repurpose gypsum boards, a major type of exhibition waste used for temporary
walls, into everyday living products.
MMCA echo-friendly living products ©MMCA
The newly developed products include a wall
hook, storage tray, and bookend, featuring design elements inspired by MMCA’s
symbolic form. By combining repurposed gypsum board with Jesmonite, an
eco-friendly resin, the products minimize environmental impact while enhancing
aesthetic value.
Jesmonite is non-toxic, water-based, free
of hazardous substances, and offers high durability as a fire-resistant and
flame-retardant material. The gypsum boards used in these products were
collected from construction sites, exhibition halls, and pop-up spaces.
Designer Haneul Kim ©Chosunedu
Meanwhile, designer Haneul Kim has gained
international recognition for sustainable projects, such as crafting chairs
from discarded face masks during the pandemic. He has also repurposed plastic
bottles, vinyl shopping bags, boxes, and screens to create sustainable
furniture and objects.
The three eco-friendly living products are
available for purchase at MMCA Art Shops and online at mmcashop.co.kr.
