As fans already know, SFMOMA announced its collaboration with BTS leader RM last year for a special exhibition titled “RM × SFMOMA,” which will take place from October 2026 to February 2027. According to the museum’s latest press release, RM will be in San Francisco on September 29 to introduce the exhibition “RM x SFMOMA: Between You and Me.” RM’s remarks and appearance at the event will not be open to the public, with only credentialed media representatives allowed to attend.
This will mark the first time RM steps into the art world not as a fan, but as a true exhibition curator. The groundbreaking project creates an unprecedented connection between a global pop icon and one of the world’s three leading museums of modern art, drawing significant attention from both the music and art communities.
Some people may be skeptical about the exhibition, but RM’s longtime fans are not. Considering his deep and longstanding love for art, along with his extensive and valuable personal collection, it is clear that he has more than enough credibility and resources to curate an exhibition himself.
Notably, another piece of news has further fueled fans’ anticipation for RM’s event: he reportedly spent 1 billion won to acquire a famous artwork at an auction not long ago, with plans to display it at his upcoming solo exhibition.
The artwork in question is The Wind Testifies, also known as Le vent en témoigne, an oil on canvas painting created in 1965 by кσяєαn artist Seund Ja Rhee. According to The JoongAng, during a Christie’s Hong Kong auction in 2021, the painting was sold for 5,625,000 Hong Kong dollars, equivalent to over 1 billion KRW. However, this was not the final price when it came into RM’s possession.
A year after the auction, the piece was spotted as part of the BTS superstar’s art collection on his Instagram account. Given that the value of artworks typically increases over time, experts speculated that RM likely paid more than 1 billion KRW to acquire the painting.
The piece owned by RM stands as one of the finest examples of the artistic style of Seund Ja Rhee, a pioneering abstract artist in кσяєα. Her work is characterized by the harmonious balance of contrasting concepts — yin and yang, order and freedom, softness and solidity, East and West.
The Wind Testifies is composed of thousands of tiny brushstrokes and simple geometric forms such as circles, triangles, and squares, symbolizing the fundamental elements of the universe. The repetition of these structures not only creates a visual rhythm but also evokes the pαѕѕage of time, breath, and the invisible movement of the wind.
The artwork reflects Rhee’s inner world as an expatriate woman constantly seeking harmony between humanity and nature, between the visible and the invisible. The “wind” in her painting is not merely a natural element, but also a metaphor for freedom, memory, and longing for home. Through this piece, she affirmed that art can serve as a bridge connecting emotions, memories, and souls across all boundaries.
For that reason, both the art world and fans are eagerly anticipating its appearance at the upcoming RM × SFMOMA exhibition!
In addition to this valuable piece, the exhibition is also reported to include works by renowned кσяєαn artists such as Yun Hyong Keun, Park Rehyun, Kwon Ok Yeon, Kim Yoonsin, Do Sang Bong, and Chang Ucchin, along with masterpieces by international art legends including Kim Whanki, Mark Rothko, Henri Matisse, Georgia O’Keeffe, and Paul Klee.
Beyond admiring RM’s collection—precious both literally and figuratively—this exhibition will also provide fans the opportunity to witness and explore his profound artistic worldview. Since the announcement of the event, it has sparked great excitement among fans, including many who previously had little interest in the world of visual arts.
