Artist of the Year 2026, co-hosted by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) and the SBS Cultural Foundation, opens tomorrow.

This year highlights the artistic worlds of Lee Haeminsun, Lee Jeong-woo, Jeon Hyun-sun, and Hong Jin-hwon, who were selected as sponsored artists following evaluations by a domestic and international panel of judges.

Lee Haeminsun observes the traces of time accumulated in objects and environments, drawing the boundaries of disappearance and persistence on photographic printing paper.

Lee Jeong-woo critically explores how generative AI and data-based technologies construct reality and history.

Jeon Hyun-sun links painting, sculpture, and installation to expand painting into a spatial experience.

Hong Jin-hwon has explored power and visual systems surrounding images using photography, video, and web programming.

Kim Sung-hee, Director of the MMCA, stated, "We hope this will be an opportunity to understand the era we live in more multidimensionally through the works of the four artists, who explore structures and conditions beyond what is visible."

Bang Moon-sin, Chairman of the SBS Hope Tomorrow Committee, said, "Art is an important force that poses questions our society has yet to discover and allows us to view the world from a fresh perspective. We believe that contributing to the growth of culture and arts, alongside our public role through broadcasting, is an important social responsibility for SBS."

The Artist of the Year award is a premier domestic contemporary art support program co-hosted by the MMCA and the SBS Cultural Foundation since 2012.

Every year, four artists are selected and provided with 50 million won each in creation grants, alongside support for new work production, exhibitions, and overseas projects.

Following a public panel discussion and a second-round evaluation during the exhibition period, the final winner of the "Artist of the Year 2026" will be announced in October.

(Photo: Yonhap News)