BABA(US:BABA) Guan Cha Zhe Wang·2025-07-28 08:43Group 1 - The concept of beauty and ugliness has blurred, with "ugly treasures" gaining popularity among young people as a form of social currency and emotional relief [1] - The Taobao Ugly Things Contest, launched in 2020, has attracted millions of participants and has become a cultural phenomenon, culminating in the 2025 Retail Asia Awards for innovative marketing in China [1] - The first offline exhibition of the Taobao Ugly Things Contest will take place in Hangzhou, showcasing over 100 selected items from the contest, emphasizing the creativity behind these unconventional designs [1][3] Group 2 - The exhibition theme "The Time of Ugliness Has Arrived" aims to encourage visitors to embrace unconventional aesthetics, featuring three main sections and a special unit that reviews the contest's history and impact [3] - The exhibition is free to attend, with high public interest exceeding expectations, indicating a strong cultural shift towards accepting and celebrating "ugly" designs [3][5] - Interactive areas within the exhibition allow visitors to engage with past contest entries, further promoting the idea of "ugly" as a new style and social media trend [7] Group 3 - The collaboration with the China Academy of Art for the exhibition highlights the academic interest in the changing public aesthetics and the role of "ugly" items as disruptors in mainstream culture [9] - The exhibition serves as a platform for discussing the notion that ugliness can stimulate empathy and creativity, challenging traditional aesthetic values [9]