Gala Porras-Kim, The weight of a patina of time [2125], 2024, Graphite, color pencil and encaustic on paper, Triptych: 228.6 x 182.8 cm each (framed) © Gala Porras-Kim. Courtesy of the artist Photo: Wes Magyar/MCA Denver.
In 2026, the Amorepacific Museum of Art (APMA) will turn its focus firmly to the breadth and evolution of contemporary art, unveiling two major exhibitions that span both its own collection and the wider international art landscape. Together, the programme reflects the museum’s commitment to situating Korean contemporary art within a global conversation, while also offering a deep dive into the work of one of today’s most recognisable painters.
Revisiting The Collection
Nam June Paik, Kon-Tiki, 1995, Mixed media, 400 x 700 x 800 cm © Nam June Paik Estate. Photo: K2 studio.
Opening in April, APMA, Chapter Five – From the APMA Collection presents a carefully considered survey of contemporary works drawn from the museum’s holdings. Bringing together approximately 50 works by more than 40 artists, the exhibition traces key trajectories and shifts that have shaped contemporary art, with particular attention given to the evolution of Korean contemporary practice.
The exhibition spans multiple media — including painting, photography, sculpture and installation — and features an international roster of artists such as David Hockney, Rose Wylie, Kiki Smith and Gala Porras-Kim, alongside influential Korean figures including Nam June Paik, Lee Bul, Lee Ufan and Koo Bohnchang. Rather than offering a chronological overview, the exhibition is structured around thematic and conceptual dialogues, inviting visitors to consider how ideas, materials and artistic strategies intersect across cultures and generations.
By foregrounding both global and Korean perspectives, Chapter Five positions the APMA collection as a living archive — one that reflects ongoing conversations rather than fixed narratives.
Jonas Wood’s First Asian Institutional Survey
Jonas Wood, Photo: Laure Joliet.
In September, APMA will open the first institutional survey in Asia dedicated to Jonas Wood, the Los Angeles–based artist whose work has become synonymous with bold colour, flattened perspectives and densely patterned interiors. Spanning more than two decades of his practice, the exhibition brings together around 50 paintings and 30 works on paper, offering a comprehensive look at Wood’s evolving visual language.
Working from personal photographs, family archives and everyday surroundings, Wood transforms familiar domestic and botanical scenes into compositions that are at once vibrant and psychologically charged. His works often blur the line between observation and memory, creating spaces that feel intimate yet meticulously constructed. The survey traces recurring themes in his practice — from interiors and landscapes to still lifes and portraiture — highlighting how repetition and variation shape his distinctive approach.
For Asian audiences, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to engage deeply with Wood’s practice within an institutional context, situating his work within broader discussions of contemporary painting.
Expanding Engagement
Jonas Wood, Bball Studio, 2021, Oil and acrylic on canvas, 279.4 x 264.2 cm Artwork © Jonas Wood. Photo: Marten Elder.
Complementing both exhibitions, APMA plans a series of on-site public programmes designed to deepen engagement and encourage dialogue around the works on view. Details will be announced through the museum’s official website and Instagram channels.
Together, the 2026 programme underscores Amorepacific Museum of Art’s role as a platform for contemporary art that is both locally grounded and internationally attuned — offering audiences space not only to view art, but to reflect on how contemporary practices continue to evolve.
