BTS’s RM is taking his passion for art to a new level by making his curator debut at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, better known as SFMOMA.
The museum will open RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me on October 3, featuring works from RM’s personal art collection alongside pieces from SFMOMA’s own holdings.
According to SFMOMA, the exhibition will include 145 works from RM’s collection and around 200 pieces in total. Many of the works from his collection will be shown in the United States for the first time.
The exhibition will place Korean modern and contemporary art alongside works by internationally recognized artists, highlighting connections across different cultures, periods, and artistic styles.
RM’s collection includes works by major Korean artists such as Chang Ucchin, Kim Yun Shin, Kwon Ok Yeon, Park Re Hyun, Do Sang Bong, and Yun Hyong Keun.
SFMOMA will also bring in works by artists including Kim Whanki, Mark Rothko, Agnes Martin, Henri Matisse, Georgia O’Keeffe, Paul Klee, Donald Judd, and Yves Klein.
RM previously explained that his interest in Korean art grew after visiting the Art Institute of Chicago during BTS’s tour in 2018.
After seeing works by internationally famous artists he already knew, RM said a question came to mind.
“I know Picasso and Van Gogh, but why don’t I know any artists from my own country?”
The realization encouraged him to learn more about Korean art and explore his own cultural roots. He began visiting museums and exhibitions more often, studying Korean artists and gradually building his personal collection.
One of the first works RM is known to have purchased was Lee Dae Won’s 1976 painting Mountain.
What began as a personal interest has now developed into a museum exhibition in the United States, with RM directly participating in the curatorial process.
Rather than simply displaying his collection, RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me will place works from Korea, the United States, Europe, and other regions together to explore shared ideas and different perspectives.
RM described the exhibition as one that looks at the boundaries between East and West, Korea and the United States, modern and contemporary art, and the personal and universal.
He also said he hopes visitors will approach the works through their own curiosity instead of feeling that there is only one correct way to understand them.
SFMOMA reportedly approached RM about creating an exhibition centered on his collection, leading to his participation as a curator. He is working on the project alongside SFMOMA curator América Castillo and associate curator Kim Hyoeun.
With RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me, RM is bringing his private collection into a major international museum while giving Korean modern and contemporary artists greater visibility to audiences in the United States.
