South Korean Post-Minjung Artist Bae Young-whan Dies at 57
Bae Young-whan, a prominent figure in the Post-Minjung Art movement of 1990s South Korea, passed away on June 19, 2026, at the age of 57. A graduate of Hongik University, where he earned his BFA in 1990, Bae was known for his innovative approach using discarded materials and song lyrics to explore collective memory. His impactful works include "Pocketbook for the Homeless – On the Street" (2001) and the award-winning "Library Project – Tomorrow" (2009). He represented Korea at the 51st Venice Biennale in 2005 and received accolades at the Gwangju Biennale in 2002.
Key facts
- Bae Young-whan died on June 19, 2026, at age 57.
- He was a key figure in 'Post-Minjung Art' in 1990s South Korea.
- He studied oriental painting at Hongik University (BFA 1990).
- His work used discarded objects and song lyrics to evoke collective memory.
- He created 'Pocketbook for the Homeless – On the Street' (2001) after living on the streets.
- His 'Library Project – Tomorrow' (2009) won the Grand Prize for Public Design of Korea in 2013.
- He received the Site Award at the 4th Gwangju Biennale (2002) for 'Pop Song 3: Gwangju Sangmudae'.
- He represented Korea at the 51st Venice Biennale in 2005.
Entities
Artists
- Bae Young-whan
- Kim Chang-wan
- Kim Kwang-seok
- Kalani Ko
Institutions
- BB&M
- Hongik University
- National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art
- Mori Art Museum
- Art Sonje Center
- Leeum Museum of Art
- May 18 Memorial Foundation
- Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art
- Gwangju Biennale
- Venice Biennale
- ArtAsiaPacific
Locations
- Seoul
- South Korea
- Gwacheon
- Tokyo
- Japan
- Gwangju
- Ansan