AI, Contemporary Art, and Robotics Meet at MMCA 'Art Salon: Gaze'

Dae-Shik Kim, Do Ho Suh, and Dennis Hong to Lead Second-Half Lectures
First Lecture on August 12
Open to 250 Paid MMCA Members on a First-Come, First-Served Basis

A lecture exploring contemporary art and society through the perspectives of artificial intelligence, contemporary art, and robotics will be held.

Artist Kim Ahyoung is giving a lecture at the "2026 MMCA Art Salon: Gaze" held at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul. National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) announced on July 28 that it has invited three prominent figures for the second half of the '2026 MMCA Art Salon: Gaze' lecture series, which is exclusive to paid membership holders: Dae-Shik Kim, professor at KAIST; artist Do Ho Suh; and Dennis Hong, professor at UCLA in the United States.

'MMCA Art Salon: Gaze' is a lecture program that shares the philosophies and critical perspectives of experts from various fields, including artists, philosophers, scientists, and architects. Since its launch in 2024, participants have included artists such as Bonchang Koo and Ayoung Kim, architect Cho Minseok, art director Ryu Sunghee, and Nicolas Bourriaud, the former artistic director of the Gwangju Biennale.

The first lecture for the second half of the year will take place on August 12 at 7:00 p.m. in the MMCA Theater at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul. Dae-Shik Kim, a neuroscientist and professor at the School of Electrical Engineering at KAIST, will deliver a lecture on the theme 'The Role and Future of Art Museums in the Age of AI.' The session will explore the significance of artistic reflection in an era of deepening confirmation bias and discuss the future roles of art museums in the age of artificial intelligence.

On September 5, artist Do Ho Suh will take the stage. In connection with a large-scale solo exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, he will share insights into his artistic practice, which explores space, the body, identity, migration, and memory.

In November, Dennis Hong, professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at UCLA and director of the RoMeLa Robotics Laboratory, will discuss the relationship between robotics and artistic imagination. Drawing from his experience developing the world’s first car for the visually impaired and humanoid robots, he will examine how robotics technology can expand both the boundaries of human life and creative practice.

The lectures are free for 'MMCA Family' and 'MMCA Family+' members, which are paid membership programs of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, with a maximum of 250 attendees per session. Requests to attend Dae-Shik Kim’s lecture can be made on a first-come, first-served basis through the MMCA website starting at 2:00 p.m. on July 28. Details on the September and November lectures, including schedules and registration methods, will be announced at a later date.

Sunghee Kim, Director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, stated, "'MMCA Art Salon: Gaze' offers an opportunity to reflect on art, society, and the world through the perspectives of contemporary intellectuals," adding, "We hope the museum will become a space of intellectual solidarity that, beyond visual art, fosters the sharing of contemporary issues."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.