Exhibition Shows Changes in Design for Air Travel
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
``Airplanes and airports have my favorite kind of food service, my favorite kinds of entertainment, my favorite graphics and colors, the best security checks, the best views, the best employees and the best optimism.''
This is what Andy Warhol said about air travel in 1977. As the quote indicates, airports and airplanes are about more than just transportation ― they are about flying, departure, separation, expectation, and excitement.
Air travel has undergone huge development over the last century since the invention of aircraft. The technology and design have changed and improved, with the former influencing the latter and vice versa. All these changes can be seen at an exhibition held at the Daelim Contemporary Art Museum in central Seoul under the title ``Airworld: Design and Architecture for Air Travel.''
It is part of the German Vitra Design Museum's world tour. It does not have a great number of items, but shows various types of aircrafts, airports, cabins, seats, meal trays, airline logos and flight crew uniforms.
In the 1920s and 1930s when commercial flights began, flying boats were more common than airplanes. The mockups of flying boats, including the Dornier Do-X, are on display. Cabins of the flying boats at that time had a luxurious interior, as air travel was only for the rich.
Trans World Airlines (TWA) terminal at JFK International Airport in New York, built in 1962, is shown in photos. The shell-shape structure, designed by Finnish architecture Eero Saarinen, has been designated a historic landmark by the city government.
Models of the newest-generation aircrafts are also on display ― Airbus' super jumbo A380 and Boeing's B787. It is said that the two aircraft have shown to what extent airplanes can be developed in terms of size and efficiency.
The most interesting part of the exhibition is the various designs of small things such as fight attendant uniforms, seats and meal trays, as they are what passengers encounter.
Planes at the beginning of the air travel era had chairs made of wisteria to reduce weight, and later leather. Stronger and lighter materials, like aluminum and urethane foam, have been adopted since.
In-flight meals and trays have also been through huge development and improvement. The in-flight tableware needs to be small and compact, as hundreds of dishes need to be carried in a limited space.
The design of cabin crew uniforms is becoming more important, as uniforms are part of the symbol and image of an airline. Carriers vie to have world-renowned fashion designers create their uniforms, including Christian Dior, Nina Ricci and Ralph Lauren.
Christian Lacroix, who made the Air France uniform worn since 2005, said, ``My desire is to invent a universe, a cross between two worlds which are strongly associated with dreams, the world of flight and the world of fashion.''
The exhibition runs through Nov. 9. Admission is 6,000 won for adults and 4,000 won for those aged under 19. Closed on Monday. For more information, visit www.daelimmuseum.org.