MMCA unveils major 2026 exhibitions: Do Ho Suh, Damien Hirst

▲ Kim Sung-hee, director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, presents the museum's 2026 exhibition plan at a press conference in Seoul on Jan. 6, 2026. (Yonhap)

▲ The image, provided by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, shows Do Ho Suh's "Nest/s." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

▲ The image, provided by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, shows Damien Hirst's "For the Love of God." (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

national art museum-2026

MMCA unveils major 2026 exhibitions: Do Ho Suh, Damien Hirst

By Woo Jae-yeon

SEOUL, Jan. 6 (Yonhap) -- The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) will showcase the work of renowned Korean contemporary artist Do Ho Suh and English artist Damien Hirst in two of its major exhibitions planned for this year.

In its 2026 exhibition lineup unveiled Tuesday, the MMCA said it will hold what it called "the largest-ever solo exhibition" of the celebrated Korean artist, known for his long-standing explorations of belonging, relationship and connection.

"The exhibition will offer a comprehensive survey of his practice from its beginnings to the present, centered on fundamental themes, such as migration and dwelling, as well as the individual and the collective," the museum said.

Suh's exhibition, scheduled for August, is part of the MMCA's efforts to spotlight Korean artists in the domestic and global arts scenes, and support their work, it added.

Other major Korean artists to be featured this year include two late pioneers: Lee Dai-won (1921-2005), known for his lyrical modernism rooted in Korean landscapes, and Bang Hai-ja (1937-2022), who established herself in the French art scene through her lifelong devotion to light as a source of inspiration.

Marking the 140th anniversary of the diplomatic relationship between Korea and France, the museum will also shed light on Korean artists who moved to France in the wake of the 1950-53 Korean War. The exhibition will explore how these artists -- Kwon Ok-yon, Nam Kwan, Rhee Seundja and Lee Ungno -- "sought identity in unfamiliar places and expanded the boundaries of art."

Expanding to international artists, MMCA will hold a large-scale solo exhibition of globally renowned contemporary artist Damian Hirst -- his first in Asia -- exploring his key themes, including death, immortality and human desire, and faith in science and medicine.

The MMCA said Hirst's exhibition in March will inaugurate an annual series featuring globally acclaimed artists.

The upcoming exhibition will bring in some of the British artist's most iconic artworks, such as "For the Love of God," a platinum cast of a human skull encrusted with diamonds, and the "Natural History" series preserving real animals in tanks of formaldehyde. It will also unveil his latest works that have not been made public.

In addition, works by American painter Georgia O'Keeffe (1887-1986) will take center stage in an exhibition showcasing American modern art.

The Lee Kun-hee collection will have touring exhibitions in Chicago and London this year, following its showing in Washington, D.C.

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