BTS leader RM to curate exhibition at San Francisco Museum of Modern Art

BTS leader RM will collaborate with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA) as a guest curator. Courtesy of BigHit Music

BTS leader RM is set to collaborate with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), becoming the first K-pop artist to do so since the museum’s founding. As part of the groundbreaking partnership, RM will serve as a guest curator, presenting pieces from his personal art collection and sharing his artistic vision with visitors.

RM to showcase collection in special exhibition

On Oct. 3, SFMOMA announced that it will host a special exhibition titled “RM x SFMOMA” in collaboration with RM. The exhibition will run from October 2026 to February 2027, featuring more than 200 works, including pieces from RM’s personal collection as well as selections from the museum’s own holdings.

The show aims to organically connect the visual and conceptual contexts of both collections, offering insight into RM’s aesthetic sensibility and collecting philosophy. Notably, RM will take an active role as a curator, shaping how the works are presented to the public.

A first-of-its-kind collaboration for SFMOMA

This marks the first time in SFMOMA’s history that it has collaborated with a K-pop artist. The museum proposed the project, citing RM’s deep appreciation for contemporary art and refined collecting taste. The exhibition will be jointly curated by RM and SFMOMA, highlighting the bridge between different cultures, eras, and perspectives.

“We live in an era defined by boundaries,” RM said. “I hope this exhibition becomes a space to reflect on the boundaries between East and West, Korea and the United States, modern and contemporary, the individual and the universal. There is no single correct way to view the works, but I hope this becomes a small yet solid bridge for many.”

Janet Bishop, chief curator at SFMOMA, said visitors will have an unprecedented opportunity to see RM’s beautiful and contemplative collection of paintings and sculptures displayed alongside the museum’s holdings and experience the dialogue between them.

Bridging cultures through art

RM’s collection includes works by leading figures in Korean contemporary art as well as prominent artists from around the world. Many pieces will be on public display for the first time, representing a broad range of cultures and artistic perspectives.

As one of the largest modern art museums in the United States, SFMOMA is home to an extensive collection spanning painting, sculpture, photography, architecture, design, and media art by internationally renowned artists.

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.