BTS leader RM to co-curate art exhibition at SFMOMA

BTS leader RM will co-curate “RM x SFMOMA,” an exhibition at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art running from October 2026 to February 2027, showcasing approximately 200 works from his personal collection and the museum’s holdings.artsy
The exhibition marks an unprecedented collaboration between a K-pop artist and SFMOMA, with RM serving as co-curator alongside museum curators América Castillo and Hyoeun Kim, many pieces displayed publicly for the first time.artsy
RM’s collection features works by Korean modern and contemporary artists including Yun Hyong-keun, Park Rehyun, Chang Ucchin, and Kim Yun Shin, paired with SFMOMA pieces by Mark Rothko, Agnes Martin, Henri Matisse, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Paul Klee.artsy
RM stated the exhibition reflects boundaries “between East and West, Korea and America, the modern and the contemporary,” expressing hope it will serve as “a small but sturdy bridge for many.”artsy
The announcement comes after RM completed his mandatory South Korean military service in June, reconnecting with fans and BTS bandmates ahead of their planned comeback.artsy

BTS RM Announces First Solo Art Exhibition at SFMOMA

BTS leader RM made history this week as the first K-pop artist to collaborate with the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art since its founding in 1935, announcing a groundbreaking exhibition titled “RM x SFMOMA” that will showcase his personal art collection for the first time publicly.artsy

The exhibition, running from October 2026 to February 2027, will feature over 200 works combining RM’s private collection with pieces from SFMOMA’s holdings. RM will serve as co-curator alongside SFMOMA’s América Castillo and Hyoeun Kim, marking an unprecedented partnership between a major American art institution and a K-pop artist.theartnewspaper

Cultural Bridge Between East and West

“We live in an age defined by boundaries,” RM said in a statement announcing the exhibition. “This exhibition at SFMOMA reflects those boundaries: between East and West, Korea and America, the modern and the contemporary, the personal and the universal. I don’t want to prescribe how these works should be seen; whether out of curiosity or study, all perspectives are welcome. My only hope is that this exhibition can be a small but sturdy bridge for many.”artsy

The exhibition will showcase works by leading Korean modern artists from RM’s collection, including Dansaekhwa pioneer Yun Hyong-keun, Park Rehyun, Kwon Okyon, Kim Yun Shin, To Sangbong, and Chang Ucchin. These will be displayed alongside SFMOMA’s collection pieces by Korean artist Kim Whanki and international masters including Mark Rothko, Agnes Martin, Henri Matisse, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Paul Klee.theartnewspaper

Perfect Timing for BTS’s Return

The announcement comes as RM, whose real name is Kim Nam-joon, recently completed his mandatory South Korean military service in June alongside fellow BTS member V. All seven BTS members have now finished their military obligations, with the group planning a full comeback in spring 2026 followed by a massive world tour from May to December.nbcnews

Janet Bishop, SFMOMA’s chief curator, praised the collaboration, stating that “visitors will have an unprecedented opportunity to explore RM’s beautiful and contemplative collection of paintings and sculpture in dialogue with works from SFMOMA’s holdings, inviting us to make new discoveries and reflect on our own relationships with art”.artsy

RM has been an avid art collector since 2018, when he first visited the Art Institute of Chicago during a BTS tour. His passion for art extends beyond collecting, having been named Samsung Art TV’s global ambassador and participating in Art Basel in Switzerland. The exhibition represents the culmination of over a decade of serious art engagement by the 31-year-old artist, who was the only Korean named among Artnet’s “35 Innovators” in the art world in 2022.artnet