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 2026 Korean Artist Prize. A former journalist, Hong has employed various forms of media, including photography, video, and web programming, to investigate the social and political power dynamics present in imagery, as stated by the MMCA.

His latest work, "The Highest Form of the Image Is Armed Struggle," explores the symbolism of historical revolutions through contemporary rally scenes and the transformation of resistance arenas into predictable and controlled visual representations. Charmaine Toh, acting head of curatorial at Tate Modern and a member of the six-person jury, praised Hong's work for highlighting the conflict between social practice and its representation as images, questioning the visual systems through which we perceive and comprehend reality.

Since 2012, the MMCA has co-sponsored the Korean Artist Prize with the SBS Culture Foundation to honor exceptional artists who possess a deep understanding of society and art. An exhibition featuring Hong Jin-hwon's work is scheduled to be held at the MMCA.