Sunday, 24 February 2008 | Levent OZLER
6.5 Billion of Us
The Human Race on 1,500 A4 Sheets of Paper
The exhibition of the Ylähuone designer community at Design Forum from 22 February to 16 March 2008 displays the human population of the world. We, 6.5 billion people, are on show in an area of approximately 150 square metres, with one dot representing a human inhabitant of the planet. Something of the immense number of people is shown by the fact that in this scale there are some 4.5 million dots on an area the size of an A4 sheet of paper. The population of Finland would thus fit on a bit less than one and a half sheets of normal copying paper.
The surface for the human race fills almost all of the exhibition space at Design Forum. The world's whole population can truly be seen and perceived at the same time - even though a magnifying glass is needed to see the individual... Various technologies are used to project data on mankind on the surface of dots: numbers and percentages that we see every day, yet ultimately remain abstract numeral data. How many of us really live in cities? How many people suffer from the lack of pure water? How many people drive cars? How many watch television? How many people live on less than US$ 1 a month, and how many of us might be in love right now?
The reduced and simplified visual presentation relates information usually given in numbers to the size of mankind at a glance. Abstract information is presented in easily perceived form in relation to our own bodies in space. Familiar things are surprising and perplexing. The exhibition seeks to demonstrate information in a neutral manner, without value-ladenness, while arousing questions at the same time. Viewers are given the freedom to interpret and evaluate what they see.
The installation is by the Ylähuone community of young professionals in architecture, audio and other areas of design. They work in the same space and share an ambitious approach. The members of the group have pooled their skills in this exhibition of information that is of significance and interest to mankind. They find its visualization to be an inspiring and important challenge.
WE: mankind - group - individual, 22.2.-16.3.2008
Design Forum Finland (Space 1)
Erottajankatu 7, Helsinki
Mon. - Fr. 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., Sun. Noon - 6 p.m.
Exhibition information tel. (09) 6220 8132. Free entrance
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