LG and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum announced on the 25th that they have selected South Korean media artist Kim Ah-young as the winner of the 'LG Guggenheim Award' this year. This is the first time a Korean artist has been selected as the winner.
Now in its third year, the LG Guggenheim Award is a flagship program of the 'LG Guggenheim Art & Tech Partnership' established between LG and the Guggenheim Museum in New York. LG and the Guggenheim Museum will award a cash prize and a trophy to the winners who drive innovation in the realm of creativity using technology.
The international judging panel for the 'LG Guggenheim Award' this year noted the reason for the selection: "Kim Ah-young merges traditional techniques with innovative technologies to explore social issues through narratives that transcend time and space, redefining the role of the artist as a connector who fosters new dialogues between art and technology. She presents an original perspective on the interaction between technology and humanity, prompting reflections on the ethical and emotional meanings in a technology-centric world, making her a leading artist of our time."
Kim has made new attempts in media art by integrating cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) in addition to installation art and performances. In particular, Kim emphasizes the importance of 'AI literacy' by interpreting and creatively utilizing AI subjectively.
The representative work 'Delivery Dancer' series, inspired by the experience of the COVID-19 pandemic, depicts the interaction between female riders running in the future city of Seoul and AI. In 'The Sphere of Delivery Dancer' (2022), it conveys a boundary message about life in subservience to AI using game engines, LiDAR scanning, and 3D modeling.
The follow-up work 'Delivery Dancer's Line: Inverse' (2024) presents a narrative that explores new perceptions by moving away from the Western-centric concept of time through videos created with generative AI and sundial sculptures.
Kim created the script by dialoguing with generative AI. The video also utilizes graphics generated by AI, employing technology not just as a simple tool but as a core element of artistic expression.
Kim stated, "What artists can do through technology is explore the potential hidden in technology and express it in the most intuitive way," adding, "In her artwork, she tells stories about the impact of technology on our society by utilizing technology."
A local event in New York celebrating Kim's achievement will be held on May 8. In the second half of the year, there are plans for a 'public program' where Kim will personally introduce her artistic world to the audience in collaboration with the Guggenheim Museum.