Art Project to Promote Innovative Thinking and Creativity

Consumer buying pattern shifted dramatically in the last decade. With the increased buying power, more and more traditional markets have been gradually assimilated by large chains and Eonyang Market was no exception.

The town of Eonyang is now getting a helping hand from UNIST students, as it plans to promote and revitalize its downtown core. With the help of the Ulju Market Revival Foundation and the city government, Eonyang Market is no longer just a place to buy things, but a place for social interaction and encounters in which arts and creativity have a key role.

Each year, students in the Division of General Studies of UNIST are given the opportunity at the end of the semester to put together an exhibition of their work. For this year’s project, an art exhibition will be held at Gallery Cafe in Eonyang Market from June 5 to 12, 2015, displaying creative art designs that reveal busy life of Eonyang merchants.

UNIST student, presenting his group’s exhibition display at Eonyang Market on June 5, 2015.

This exhibition was organized by Prof. Hyun-Kyung Lee in the Division of General Studies under the sponsorship of Ulju County. UNIST Academy-Industry Research Corporation and Ulju Market Foundation also partook to support this project. The exbibition will present  information designs, creative packaging designs, as well as pictogram designs, created by 150 students in the Division of General Studies during their first term of 2015 at UNIST.

“We really appreciate having members of the community supporting us and helping us bring new life to the market,”says JeongMok Seo, Chairman of Eonyang Merchant Association.

Creative package design, created by UNIST students for manufactured jams.

The primary objective of this exhibition was to help people rediscover the joys of shopping for what they need in their own neighborhood, thereby bringing new life to Eonyang Market. It also aims to provide a great opportunity for students to see some of their artworks displayed to the public.

“We believe that those art projects, created by UNIST students, have played a vital role in the revitalization of the market,” says JinGyu Han, Deputy Governor of Ulju County and Chairman of the Ulju Market Revival Foundation.

Creative package design, created by UNIST students for manufactured sesame oil.

Prof. Lee states, “I would like to thank the students for their creativity and hard work, and Ulju County, Ulju Market Revival Foundation, as well as UNIST for their generous sponsorship.” She continues by saying, “I hope that this year’s project has provided the public an opportunity to see the great diversity of creative activity that takes place at Eonyang Market.”

In 2014, Prof. Hyun-Kyung Lee joined UNIST as an assistant professor with research and teaching focus in the field of visual communication design. Prior to joining the faculty of UNIST, Prof. Lee worked at the Techno Art Department of Yonsei University, as a Adjunct Professor  (2008 to 2010). Prof. Lee teaches topics in Arts and Design Thinking. She is an inventor, an artist, a designer, a teacher, a creator, and a writer who thrives to help students develop visual sensitivity and creativity.