Ryoji Ikeda Awarded 2026 Nam June Paik Prize, Exhibition Set For 2027

(MENAFN- USA Art News) Japanese-born electronic composer and artist Ryoji Ikeda has been named the recipient of the ninth Nam June Paik Prize. The award is presented by the Nam June Paik Art Center in Yongin, South Korea. Ikeda is slated to receive KRW 50 million, equivalent to $36,300, during a ceremony at the art center on September 8. The institution also plans to host an exhibition of his work in 2027.

Ikeda, who divides his time between Paris and Kyoto, first gained recognition in the 1990s for his minimalist“glitch” compositions, which incorporated intentional errors such as pops and skips from CDs and other audio media. More recently, he has become known for creating immersive performances and installations that merge sound, light, visuals, and mathematical concepts. Over the past decade, he has been featured in numerous solo exhibitions at venues including the Taipei Fine Arts Museum, the Centre Pompidou, Paris, and the High Museum of Art, Atlanta.

Ellen Pau, a nomination committee member, cofounder, and artistic director of Hong Kong arts nonprofit Videotage, commented on Ikeda's selection.“Ryoji Ikeda's future vision and relentless probing into emerging technologies, including data visualization, algorithmic processing, and signal theory, precisely resonate with the forward-thinking exploration Paik valorized,” Pau stated. She added,“Ikeda has made incomprehensible infrastructures sensorially legible and opened up civic discourse around information, surveillance, and scale. His creative and politically aware inventiveness aligns with Paik's legacy.”

Established in 2009, the Nam June Paik Prize is named after the pioneering Fluxus artist. Funded by the Gyeonggi Provincial Government, it is awarded biannually by the Nam June Paik Art Center to an artist who has promoted and contributed to contemporary art and world peace through their creativity, experimentation, and innovation. Previous winners of the honor include Doug Aitken, Ceal Floyer, Joan Jonas, Bruno Latour, Haroon Mirza, and Trevor Paglen.

Source: Artforum

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