Known as ARKO, the government-funded Art Council of Korea has been at the forefront of arts promotion since its founding in 1973. Its main role is to support artists and arts organisations in Korea, as well as promoting international cultural exchange.
ARKO’s 2021 annual report places greater emphasis on charts and graphs than on photography – unusual for a modern annual report. It does however, make sense in light of the large volume of information the report conveys.
Infographics often occupy the majority of a given page. They are presented as three-dimensional objects and presented in a simple complementary colour scheme of green, blue, and grey. Additionally, these infographics are always afforded plenty of negative space, so the report never feels cramped.
While infographics are given pride of place, photography appears as a balancing mechanism. Along with the obligatory full-page images and double-page spreads, many small images are peppered throughout the report, adding a dash of colour and some weight to the pages. That the small photographs carry through into the financial section and thereby enliven it, is also a nice touch in this decidedly old school annual report.
