In colloboration with Unhappy Cirsuit, Lee Kang-il
Promoted by ZER01NE(Hyundai Motors Group)
The Plastic Currency project originates from a critical awareness of the entire system surrounding plastic production and disposal. This research into plastic-related issues reveals that, as of 2015, the global annual plastic production amounts to approximately 370 million tons, with an estimated cumulative production of 8.3 billion tons. Of this total, 20% is incinerated, only 9% is recycled, and the remainder is either buried in landfills or ends up as marine debris. The project highlights the fundamental issue that, despite plastic being a fully recyclable material, only a small fraction is actually recycled, exposing the malfunctioning plastic recycling system. Shin Tai-ho, Unhappy Circuit, and Lee Kang-il aim to make the barely functioning recycling system more visible, bringing to the surface the underlying structures that have remained submerged beneath the social framework.
They argue that waste management, which has long remained an invisible part of society’s infrastructure, should be recognized as a crucial factor in shaping value systems. Through their project, they seek to transform the post-consumption value of plastic into a currency-like form. To achieve this, they propose the Plastic Code, a classification system that creates AI-trainable datasets, enabling an organized structure for classifying plastic image data. This project reflects on the logic of capital, seeking to reconstruct and reposition it while attempting to reconnect the broken system and establish a sustainable, circular structure that can directly impact society.
"Ecological" Exhibition, Supported by ZER01NE(Hyundai Motors Group), 2020