Korean media artist Cha Jae-min has won the 21st Hermes Foundation Missulsang for her distinctive approach to media art — listening to marginalized voices and building relationships through “essay films.”
While her earlier work raised critical voices about structural conditions and power dynamics in society, her recent practice seeks to bring forth the voices of those who remain unheard.
“After extensive and passionate discussions regarding the many outstanding candidates the jury of the 21st Hermes Foundation Missulsang selected Cha Jae-min as this year’s laureate,” the foundation announced Tuesday.
Through ther “essay films,” she observes the lives of others, dismantling and reconstructing their narratives.
The prize winner’s solo exhibition will be held in May 2027 at the Atelier Hermes in Seoul after the thorough renovation of the space. The winner receives a prize of 30 million won ($202,000) along with exhibition production support at the Atelier Hermes’ exhibition in Seoul.
Established in 2000, the Hermes Foundation Missulsang has become a leading award supporting emerging artists who will shape the future of Korean contemporary art. Since its 16th edition in 2016, the award has been presented biennially, selecting a single final laureate.
Composed of five leading figures of art, this year’s jury consisted of Ki Hye-kyung, former director of the Busan Museum of Art and a professor at Hongik University; Choi Bit-na, artistic director of the Korean Pavilion for the 2025 Venice Biennale; artist Jung Seo-young; Isabelle Bertolotti, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art of Lyon; and Reiko Setsuda, director of Le Forum at Maison Hermes Ginza in Tokyo.
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