Creatives Criticize Heatherwick's Humanise Wall for Cultural Insensitivity in Seoul

Summary

Two creatives selected to contribute to Thomas Heatherwick's Humanise Wall installation at the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism have publicly criticized the project for being culturally insensitive to the South Korean context. Seoul-born writer Maya West and Seoul-based artist Elliot Woods, who were part of teams chosen through an open call, expressed concerns that the installation demonstrates a profound lack of judgment and fails to respect local cultural sensitivities. The criticism highlights tensions between international architectural interventions and local cultural contexts in global biennale events.