Our favorite emojis, which we take for granted and use every day to convey our deepest emotions, have a story. And now that story will be protected as part of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
No, the museum hasn't appropriated the emoji we regularly use on our smartphones. Instead, it's acquired the original collection of emoji released by Japanese telecommunications giant NTT DoCoMo in 1999.
Developed by Shigetaka Kurita, they were broadcast to life on Japanese mobile phones, at a time when cutting-edge innovation was represented by platforms like DoCoMo's i-Mode and flip phones were at the height of their popularity.
Of course, since emojis are symbols and not tangible art, some might wonder what exactly MoMA means when it says it has “acquired” the symbols. Back in 2010, the museum acquired the “@” symbol, praising its status as a timely design in modern design. At the time, the museum acknowledged to Ray Tomlinson that it had appropriated and changed the meaning and import of the symbol, which had been used in various forms for hundreds of years.
“We have acquired the very act of design, and as we make it available in different fonts, we will note a specific font each time, just as we would refer to the materials from which a physical object is made,” said MoMA curator Paola Antonelli.
However, in the case of DoCoMo's emojis, which were originally born in the era of mobile technology, the design's origins are very clear.
As a piece of contemporary art, the staff will determine where the emoji display will sit, among more traditional works by dedicated artists and designers of the past. But as a testament to the rapid evolution of how we communicate in the 21st century, this is perhaps one of the museum’s most powerful exhibits.
The exact details of the installation are still being planned, but the public will see it for the first time in the presentation, which will include 2D graphics and animations, starting in December.
