Writer Kim Ah-young, 'First Korean' to Win LG Guggenheim Award

"A Leading Artist Expanding the Possibilities of Art"
Collaboration with AI in Scenario Development and Video Production

LG and the Guggenheim Museum announced on the 25th that Korean media artist Kim Ah-young has been selected as the recipient of this year's 'LG Guggenheim Award.' This is the first time a Korean artist has received the award. The LG Guggenheim Award presents a trophy to recipients who have led innovation in the realm of creativity by utilizing technology.

This year, the international jury of the LG Guggenheim Award stated, "Artist Kim Ah-young explored social issues through narrative structures that transcend time and space by combining traditional techniques with innovative technology," and added, "She is an artist leading this era by prompting reflection on ethical and emotional meanings in a technology-centered world."

2025 LG Guggenheim Award Winner, Artist Kim Ah-young. Provided by LG

Kim Ah-young said, "What artists can do through technology is to explore the potential embedded in technology and express it in the most intuitive way," and added, "In my artistic activities, I use technology to tell stories about the impact of technology on our society." She also expressed gratitude, saying, "I thank LG and the Guggenheim Museum for their dedication to supporting artists so that these artistic discourses can continue."

Kim Ah-young has been making new attempts to fuse cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and virtual reality (VR) in the fields of installation art, performance, and media art. In particular, she emphasizes the importance of 'AI literacy' by interpreting AI autonomously and utilizing it creatively.

Her representative work inspired by the COVID-19 pandemic, the 'Delivery Dancer' series, is a video work depicting the interaction between female riders running through the future city of Seoul and AI. In 'Delivery Dancer's Sphere (2022),' she used game engines, LiDAR scanning, and 3D modeling to convey a cautionary message about lives dependent on AI. The follow-up work, 'Delivery Dancer's Line: Inverse (2024),' presents a story exploring new perceptions beyond the Western-centered concept of time through videos created with generative AI and a sundial sculpture.

A scene from the video work "Delivery Dancer's Sphere (2022)" by artist Kim Ah-young. Provided by artist Kim Ah-young.

Naomi Beckwith, Guggenheim's Chief Curator, praised, "Kim Ah-young's works pose profound questions about time and human experience in the digital age and reveal important issues in contemporary society."

An LG official said, "For Kim Ah-young, technology is not only a medium for her works but also a subject, which resonates with LG's careful consideration of the experiences and emotions of people encountering new technologies and the direction technology should take," and added, "We look forward to her increasingly influential path ahead."

The local event in New York to celebrate Kim's award will be held on May 8. In the second half of the year, a 'Public Program' will be conducted in collaboration with the Guggenheim Museum to introduce her artistic world directly to the audience.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.