BTS RM holds first solo collection exhibition at SFMOMA... First collaboration by a K-pop artist

BTS RM will hold his first solo collection exhibition reflecting his artistic taste at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA). The special exhibition ″RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me″ will be held locally from October 3rd to February 7th, 2027. This exhibition is the first collaboration with a K-pop artist since the founding of SFMOMA and was prepared based on RM’s consistent interest in contemporary art. Through his agency Big Hit Music, RM stated, ″This is the first time I am sharing my collection under my name. I think it is rare for a collection gathered by one person over a long time to show that person so honestly. In that sense, this exhibition will be quite a long self-introduction.″ He also said, ″My collection includes many works by modern and contemporary Korean artists. Some names may still be unfamiliar outside of Korea, but I have collected with the desire to add a better perspective and sensibility, and that process has led to this exhibition.″ About 180 works will be exhibited in total, of which approximately 140 are works collected by RM. The majority of the collection will be shown for the first time in the United States. The exhibition features masterpieces of modern and contemporary Korean art by artists such as Yun Hyong-keun, Park Rae-hyun, Jang Uk-jin, Kwon Ok-yeon, Kim Yoon-shin, and Do Sang-bong, alongside works by Kim Whanki, Nam June Paik, Mark Rothko, Agnes Martin, Henri Matisse, and Georgia O’Keeffe from SFMOMA’s collection. Through various genres including ceramics, calligraphy, painting, and sculpture spanning from the 6th century to the present, the exhibition highlights the flow of Korean art. It is the largest exhibition of modern and contemporary Korean art held in the United States. RM not only provided the artworks but also participated directly in the curation and exhibition planning stages. To aid visitors’ understanding, exhibition texts and artwork descriptions were written in both Korean and English, and bilingual audio guides recorded in his own voice are also provided. He personally selected the music played in the exhibition space. Christopher Bedford, director of SFMOMA, explained, ″This project closely aligns with SFMOMA’s direction to expand global conversations around art. While creating space for new voices in the museum, it invites visitors who have encountered contemporary and Korean art through RM to this place.″