Works from the Whanki Foundation Collection 2026
Collector Kim HyangAn
컬렉터 김향안
The collection of the Whanki Museum consists of works by Kim Whanki, a collection formed through the activities of the Whanki Foundation under its founder, Kim HyangAn, as well as works subsequently added in continuation of her legacy.
Following Kim Whanki’s passing in 1974, Kim HyangAn began her foundation activities in Paris and officially established the ‘Whanki Foundation’ in New York in 1979. The foundation’s first official activity was its participation in Art Expo New York at the New York Coliseum in 1979. Kim HyangAn organized a Whanki Foundation booth together with New York-based Korean artists including John Pai, Han Yong-Jin, and Moon Mi-Ae. Beginning with the Prix Whanki in 1982, the foundation’s support expanded from Korean artists abroad to international artists. After the opening of the Whanki Museum in 1992, Prix Whanki became a regular program, extending its scope globally.
A museum’s collection represents its identity.
Since initiating its activities in 1975, the Whanki Foundation has assembled a collection of over 300 works by artists from Korea and abroad. This collection is not the result of simple acquisition, but of sustained support for artists and ongoing collaboration with them. It continues to grow through the ‘Whanki Foundation Artists’ program.
This exhibition focuses on the early collection formed by Kim HyangAn. It aims to explore the character of the foundation’s collection and reflect on the museum’s direction as envisioned by her.