From top to bottom: A JOURNEY by JE BAAK, 2015, 3D RPG animation, 27min. 29sec., loop. Commissioned by VH AWARD of Hyundai Motor Group. Hear the Wind_Across the Border by Hyungkyu Kim, 2016, single-channel video, 08min. 07sec. Commissioned by VH AWARD of Hyundai Motor Group. A Thousand Horizons by Dongjoo Seo, 2019, single-channel video, 08min. 10sec. Commissioned by VH AWARD of Hyundai Motor Group. Black Cloud by Lawrence Lek, 2021, single-channel video, 11min. 00sec. Commissioned by VH AWARD of Hyundai Motor Group. Ladhamba Tayem; Future Continuous by Subash Thebe Limbu, 2023, single-channel video, 14min. 51sec. Commissioned by VH AWARD of Hyundai Motor Group. Random Access by Zike HE, 2023, single-channel video, 14min. 20sec. Commissioned by VH AWARD of Hyundai Motor Group. Other Spring by zzyw, 2023, single-channel video, 12min. 34sec. Commissioned by VH AWARD of Hyundai Motor Group.
In 2025, The VH AWARD Archive Exhibition is presented in China for the first time at Hyundai Motorstudio Beijing, featuring seven artworks by five Grand Prix recipients from the first to fifth VH AWARD and two Chinese finalists from the fifth VH AWARD. The exhibition further enhances its thematic context and resonates with Hyundai Motorstudio Beijing’s continued commitment to engaging with local artists and communities.
Initiated in 2016 as an award for media artists based in South Korea, the VH AWARD has since expanded to support emerging media artists who push the boundaries of audiovisual art while engaging with the context of Asia. It encourages artists to reflect on how we understand ourselves and others in relation to the past, present, and future, fostering artistic experimentation on diverse contemporary issues.
The selected artworks explore the complexities of contemporary society, triggering new perspectives on humans and machines, the past and speculative future, reality and virtuality, and individual and collective identities. A Journey by JE BAAK, the first VH AWARD Grand Prix recipient, transforms a role-playing game tagged virtual reality into a symbolic meditation on life’s existential questions. Hear the Wind_Across the Border by Hyungkyu Kim, the second VH AWARD Grand Prix recipient, applies a 360-degree perspective to challenge notions of divided territories and shifting identities. A Thousand Horizons by Dongjoo Seo, the third VH AWARD Grand Prix recipient, juxtaposes digital and analog imagery, reflecting on technological aspects that affect perception. Black Cloud by Lawrence Lek, the fourth VH AWARD Grand Prix recipient, addresses the psychological impact of AI-driven surroundings. Ladhamba Tayem; Future Continuous by Subash Thebe Limbu, the fifth VH AWARD Grand Prix recipient, envisions an indigenous future that blurs the boundaries of linear temporal and spatial norms. The exhibition also includes Chinese finalists’ works from the fifth VH AWARD. Random Access by Zike HE examines digital memory and the ways data storage shapes perception, while Other Spring by zzyw, investigates AI automation and the socio-political implications of computational systems.
This exhibition is the first chapter of the VH AWARD exhibition series, structured as a living archive, acknowledging the past while anticipating new artworks by the 6th VH AWARD finalists. It will continue in June with a second exhibition, featuring five artworks including the Grand Prix recipient, to be announced on June 17 at the House of Electronic Arts in Basel, and four finalists from the 6th VH AWARD, ensuring ongoing experimentation and engagement.
Together with the exhibition, an artist talk will be held on March 30, providing an opportunity for audiences to hear directly from participating artists about their creative processes and thematic explorations. Additionally, a series of public programs will be organized throughout the exhibition period to engage further with local communities.
By fostering experimentation and dialogue on pressing contemporary issues, the award extends its impact beyond individual practice to a broader global discourse. To amplify and share these voices, the VH AWARD has collaborated with various art institutions and platforms worldwide, including the Vision Hall of Hyundai Motor Group (Yongin, South Korea); the Ars Electronica Festival (Linz, Austria); the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara (Jakarta, Indonesia); the National Arts Council Singapore (Singapore); the House of Electronic Arts (Basel, Switzerland); Eyebeam; and the Elektra Virtual Museum.
“The VH AWARD Archive Exhibition further examines the diversity and originality of media artists who engage with the context of Asia and its future,” said DooEun Choi, Art Director of Hyundai Motor. “Through their distinctive transcultural and transhistorical practices, these emerging artists challenge conventional boundaries and broaden our understanding of the future of humanity.”
The VH AWARD exhibition series presents artworks with critical exploration of technology, history, and identity, offering a multidimensional perspective on their evolving intersections. The exhibition explores Asia’s ever-changing cultural landscapes and invites audiences to reflect on the connections between the past, present, and future in a rapidly transforming era by bridging local perspectives with global discourse.
About the Exhibition
Dates: March 8–June 15, 2025
Venue: Hyundai Motorstudio Beijing
Address: E-1, 798 Road, 798 Art Zone, Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District 100015 Beijing, China
Hours: Monday–Sunday 10am–7:30pm
Courtesy of Hyundai Motorstudio Beijing.
