Adonian Chan is a type designer who actively participates in the local annual design festival deTour and has co-curated the event in the past. With over ten years of experience in the design field, he continues to explore the essence of design. While curating deTour, he enjoys posing questions based on that year's theme, aiming to make deTour a space for inquiry and encouraging the audience to gain new insights.

This year, he is curating deTour 2024 under the theme "Having → Being: Designing Inner Worlds," inspired by the renowned 20th-century psychologist Erich Fromm's influential book, "To Have or to Be?" (1976). In this work, Fromm argues that society often measures a person's worth by their possessions, suggesting that value lies in one's inner qualities of "being" rather than "having." Adonian emphasizes, "It should be interesting to respond to this question from a design perspective." The theme for deTour is not about providing definitive answers; instead, it aims to stimulate discussion: To Have or to Be? That is the question.

The theme of deTour 2024, "Having → Being: Designing Inner Worlds," is rich in philosophical depth and aligns closely with Adonian's interests. He mentions that, as a designer, his passions extend far beyond the realm of design itself: "I love watching debates on YouTube and reading books on theology and psychology; I'm particularly fond of the works of Erich Fromm." He believes that Fromm's book's concepts of "having" and "being" merit exploration within the design context. He poses a critical question: Do design products merely satisfy material cravings in a world dominated by consumerism, or can design also foster introspection and nourish the soul?

Throughout history, various schools of thought have critiqued consumption and materialism.Adonian recalls his university exchange experience in the UK, where he encountered the 1964 "First Things First" manifesto by British design master Ken Garland. This manifesto argued that designers should prioritize societal benefit over consumer culture. Adonian reflects, "The excessive pursuit of material possessions is certainly not beneficial; there should be balance. However, I’m not opposed to materialism; I enjoy material possessions. Many people love buying clothes, and I do too, as we all seek to express our identity. I don't wholly agree with Erich Fromm. The theme of deTour is meant to provoke thought; you can disagree or offer different viewpoints, and we can all engage in discussion."

Adonian describes several works featured at this year’s deTour as experimental designs that provoke questions and reflection. One standout piece is a collaboration with the Seoul-based installation art studio Kimchi and Chips, showcasing a large screen titled "REWORLD Type 2," which consists of over a thousand prisms. Adonian admires the piece: "The prisms are transparent, allowing viewers to see the environment behind them. However, when the prisms are slightly rotated, the entire world in front appears to distort. This work raises a profound question: What is reality?"

Adonian has been following the works of Kimchi and Chips and appreciates the duo's strong design vision. "They have always contemplated the concept of image—when we materialize ideas in our minds, they transform into images that others perceive, influencing their mental images. This suggests that the more images that exist, the richer the world naturally becomes. Kimchi and Chips have progressively conceptualized ways to create new images, developing the idea of 'painting in the air' with light and producing numerous works that utilize light refraction."

This year’s deTour features four themed exhibitions, including two from South Korean designers. In addition to showcasing Kimchi and Chips, curator Adonian humorously notes that including these South Korean works is purely coincidental. He explains, "In recent years, I’ve had the opportunity to see more international design exhibitions, such as Dutch Design Week and Milan Design Week, so I wanted to bring in more foreign designs this year. This allows the audience in Hong Kong to experience international design." The two South Korean designers, Yoojin Chung and Moon Seop Seo, will present their installation works titled "Capturing Qi" and "Passage to the Lake," respectively. "Capturing Qi" satirizes the commodification of Feng Shui, while "Passage to the Lake" interprets the serene atmosphere of the lakeside. Adonian describes the latter's design as simple yet effective in drawing attention to every drop of water that falls into the basin, creating ripples. “Such designs evoke tranquility and contemplation, nourishing the inner self of the observer,” Adonian says.

The other two exhibitions showcase works from Hong Kong. One installation, " A Place of Being,” was created by designers Wich Chau and Match Chen. This interactive piece allows visitors to place wooden blocks on a scale to achieve balance. The second work, "Air Scape," is a penjing developed by Future Soil, including architect Cheung Ka-ho, architectural designer Carolyn Tam, floral artist Yvonne Wong, and penjing artist Laurence Lee.

Adonian highlights the connection between penjing and the theme of deTour: "Having → Being: Designing Inner Worlds," which is inspired by Erich Fromm's book "To Have or to Be?" He explains that the book presents two poems illustrating the difference between "having" and "being." In one example, a person sees a beautiful flower in nature and picks it, thereby "having" it, but it will eventually die. In contrast, another person enjoys the flower in its natural state without picking it, embodying the concept of "being." Adonian hopes that visitors will have diverse reactions to the deTour theme. He notes that the plants used in the penjing come from nature and can be nurtured, “thus representing a dialogue between "having" and "being."

deTour 2024 – design festival

Having → Being: Designing Inner Worlds

Date｜2024.11.29 - 12.15

Venue｜PMQ (35 Aberdeen Street, Central, Hong Kong)

Entrance Fee: Free

Detail ｜http://detour.hk/