Seoul-based artist collective Yagwang has won the 2026 Frieze Seoul Artist Award, supported by Bvlgari for the fourth consecutive year. The collective, formed by artists Terri Kim and In Jeon, will realize an ambitious new commission titled 'Facade Zone (2026)' at Frieze Seoul, taking place at COEX from 2–5 September 2026. The commission is a site-specific sculptural installation that dismantles a fair stand's walls into a wooden framework, incorporating latex sculptures based on Korean Buddhist guardian figures with shifting light effects. Yagwang follows previous winners Im Youngzoo (2025), Goen Choi (2024), and Hannah Woo (2023).
The award matters because it spotlights and supports emerging Korean talent at a pivotal career stage, reinforcing Frieze Seoul's curatorial commitment to challenging contemporary art. Yagwang's work addresses gender, human rights, labour, queerness, and identity, reflecting broader social dialogues within the global art scene. The jury, including Patrick Lee and Laurencina Farrant-Lee, underscores the fair's investment in innovative, site-responsive practices that engage audiences in new ways.