Hong Jin-hwon awarded Korean Artist Prize 2026

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) announced on Thursday that Hong Jin-hwon is the recipient of the Korean Artist Prize 2026. A former journalist, Hong employs various media such as photography, video, and web programming to explore the social and political power dynamics embedded within images, according to the MMCA.

Hong's recent work, titled "The Highest Form of the Image Is Armed Struggle," delves into the language of past revolutions through the lens of contemporary rallies and the transformation of spaces of resistance into visually anticipated and controlled images. Charmaine Toh, acting head of curatorial at Tate Modern and a member of the six-person jury, noted that Hong's work highlights the tension between social practice and its representation as images, questioning the visual systems that shape our perception of reality.

The Korean Artist Prize, co-sponsored by the MMCA and the SBS Culture Foundation since 2012, aims to recognize artists with a deep understanding of society and art. An MMCA exhibition will celebrate Hong Jin-hwon's achievement.