Rising Korean artist Kim Ayoung wins 2026 Chanel Next Prize

Kim Ayoung (Courtesy of the artist)

Korean artist Kim Ayoung won the 2026 Chanel Next Prize, a biennial award that recognizes pioneering artists from around the world for their influence on the contemporary art scene.

Working across video, sound and performance, Kim’s practice incorporates game simulation and generative media to explore the hidden dimensions of contemporary life. By interlinking real and fictional memories, Kim constructs layered worlds that explore a wide spectrum of speculative possibilities.

As one of the most promising and closely watched artists in Korea, Kim has earned global recognition, including the 2025 LG Guggenheim Award. Her work has been presented at major international institutions, including MoMA PS1 in New York, where her exhibition is currently on view through March 16.

Kim is among 10 artists from 10 different countries who received the award: Pol Taburet, Emeka Ogboh, Payal Kapadia, Ambrose Akinmusire, Marco da Silva Ferreira, Andrea Peña, Alvaro Urbano, Barbara Sanchez-Kane and Pan Daijing.

Each artist receives 100,000 euros ($117,000) in unrestricted funding for new projects.

The Chanel Next Prize, established in 2021, is part of the Chanel Culture Fund that aims to support artists and cultural institutions in commitment to the luxury fashion house’s long-standing engagement with the arts, dating back to Gabrielle Chanel’s patronage of artists such as Salvador Dali and Jean Cocteau.