The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) held a press conference on 7 January, to announce its 2025 exhibition plans, major projects, and operational direction.

In the past year, the MMCA has expanded the scope of Korean art history and led art discourse domestically and internationally through overseas exhibitions of Korean art, as well as curated exhibitions that re-examine new genres and address contemporary issues. Additionally, it recorded 220,000 foreign visitors, marking the highest number since its opening.

Major Projects and Operational Direction for 2025
In 2025, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) will ▲ present large-scale permanent exhibitions at MMCA Seoul and MMCA Gwacheon, while collaborative exhibitions in conjunction with renowned museums in Asia, Europe, and the US are being showcased across continents worldwide to expand the global presence of Korean art.

Additionally, the MMCA is working to strengthen its foundational framework and capacity through ▲ introducing MMCA Gwacheon Department and MMCA Cheongju Department to enhance their autonomy and ▲ securing new storage facilities. ▲ MMCA Art Lab at MMCA Seoul’s Education Center will be established, opening a new era of museum education.

Furthermore, the museum will ▲ invite international scholars to expand global discourse on Korean art and launch a joint publishing project. As part of this initiative, the "MMCA Research Fellowship" project will invite renowned contemporary art scholars, starting with Professor Alexander Alberro (Columbia University) in 2025, followed by Professor Hal Foster (Princeton University) in 2027, among others. Meanwhile, the MMCA–Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam Joint Publishing Project, based on Korea-Netherlands joint study and research, is underway.

2025 Exhibition Plans
The MMCA Seoul's first exhibition will feature the Asian debut solo exhibition of renowned hyperrealist sculptor Ron Mueck (April 2025–July 2025). Centered around his 2017 work Mask, first unveiled at the National Gallery of Victoria in Australia, the exhibition will showcase 10 of his most iconic sculptures.

Following this, the Seoul branch will present a permanent exhibition starting in May 2025, featuring a curated selection of works from the MMCA Collection, spanning from the 1960s to the present. Additionally, the international exhibition “Looking After Each Other” (May–July 2025) will explore the museum’s role in embracing body-diversity though the lens of disability, aging and care.

In August, the MMCA X LG OLED Series will debut in the iconic Seoul Box space at MMCA Seoul, featuring large-scale installations that leverage the space’s architectural traits. Moreover, the “Korea Artist Prize 2025” (August 2025–February 2026), in partnership with the SBS Foundation, will take place at MMCA Seoul. Alongside, an exhibition dedicated to Kim Tschang-yeul (August 2025–January 2026)—famed for his “water drop” paintings—will be held at MMCA Seoul, marking the first major museum exhibition of his works since his passing.

MMCA Seoul will host approximately 10 multidisciplinary art programs throughout the course of the year under the theme of “forest,” serving as a contemplative space to engage with the Anthropocene, as well as “MMCA Film and Video 2025” that introduces a variety of film and video works including documentaries on artists.

At the MMCA Gwacheon, “Young Korean Artists 2025” (April–October 2025), the country’s longest-running emerging artist program, will be held as the first exhibition for 2025. In May, a permanent exhibition will present works from the MMCA collection spanning from the 1900s to the 1980s, organized by era, theme, and artist. Concurrently, to mark the 50th anniversary of Korea-Singapore diplomatic relations the MMCA will collaborate with the National Gallery Singapore’s Children’s Biennale for an exhibition titled “Tomorrow We’ll Be” (May 2025–February 2026) at the Children’s Museum in Gwacheon.

At the MMCA Deoksugung, various exhibitions will explore Korean modern and contemporary art. These include “The Modern Nostalgia and Landscape Painting” (August–November 2025), a thematic exhibition to mark the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japanese colonial rule. Also, the museum will present its first-ever retrospective on the eminent modern artist Lee Daiwon, a key figure in Korea’s modern art history, from December 2025 to April 2026.

Beyond these initiatives, the MMCA will collaborate with regional art museums on various projects. In cooperation with the Cheongju Museum of Art, the “MMCA Cheongju Project 2025” (August 2025-November 2025) will be held under the theme “regeneration” at sites such as Cheongju’s Dangsan Bunker of Thought.

Through international exchange shows, the MMCA will actively collaborate with the global art world and broaden the reach of Korean art. In May, “Jung Youngsun: For All That Breathes on Earth” which was held at the MMCA Seoul last year, will tour Italy.

And starting at the Smithsonian in late 2025, “Korean Treasures: Collected, Cherished, Shared” will embark on a tour of major museums in the United States and the United Kingdom. To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the normalization of Korea-Japan diplomatic relations, Korea and Japan Contemporary Art will open in the Yokohama Museum of Art in December and then travel to MMCA Gwacheon in May 2026.

References

• 국립현대미술관 보도자료 (National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Korea (MMCA) Press Release)