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Kim Nam-Joon, aka “RM” Steps Up For His Art Advocacy

In the group’s hiatus, the BTS leader grows in his role as art patron

Article (news)

CJ Reyes

<div><br/></div><p>It has been two months since BTS announced their hiatus with the intention of focusing more on solo projects. Despite the hiatus, BTS members such as RM continued to perform anonymous acts of kindness. In September 2021, his donation to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) for the preservation treatment of a Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) <em>hwalo</em>t (traditional Korean wedding gown) was not made public . </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/9b12c64f-01b4-40de-b8e0-ee7d99bb5b8a_bts rm_lacma hwalot.jpeg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) hwalot (traditional Korean wedding gown) at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Wikimedia Commons  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>By now, everyone knows that RM is one of the members who is both generous and talented. Here are some updates regarding RM&#x27;s most significant and generous art-related acts in 2022, proving that aside from his talent that is showcased onstage in the past, this year, Kim Nam-joon is taking strides that further earn him prominence as an art patron.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/1eafe3ce-f334-4843-bea0-ab72e7703888_bts rm art advocacy lacma 9.png" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/></span></span></div><div><strong>Related Story: </strong><a href="/living/tips/k-pop-stars-who-make-the-best-housemates/33357" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">K-Pop Stars Who’d Make The Best Housemates</a></div><div><br/></div><p><a href="http://www.overseaschf.or.kr/front/comm/htmlPage.do?H_MENU_CD=100303&amp;L_MENU_CD=10030301&amp;SITE_ID=ENG&amp;MENUON=Y&amp;SEQ=107" target="_blank">The Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Cultural Heritage Administration</a> (CHA) made an announcement in September 2022 that RM had once again donated 100 million won (approximately $71,590) to the foundation for the purpose of the preservation, restoration, and use of Korean artifacts that are located outside of the country. This year, RM&#x27;s contributions will also fund the creation of a brochure showcasing Korean paintings. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/62c6bd03-2653-4aa9-942f-69f244838558_bts rm art advocacy lacma 25.png" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">BTS RM, Kim Nam-Joo takes a photo with  Lee Quede&#x27;s work &#x27;Self-portrait in Traditional Coat&#x27; on exhibit at the LACMA&#x27;s &#x27;The Space Between: The Modern In Korean Art&#x27; <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> @rkive  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>Most recently, RM recorded his voice as the narrative for the audio accompanying the <a href="https://www.lacma.org/" target="_blank">Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s (LACMA)</a> exhibition, <a href="https://www.lacma.org/press/space-between-modern-korean-art#:~:text=The%20first%20exhibition%20of%20its,oils%2C%20photography%2C%20and%20sculpture." target="_blank">The Space Between: The Modern In Korean Art</a>.  Curated by Dr. Virginia Moon, the show is the second in a series   Scholarship Initiative, a global exploration of contemporary and traditional Korean art through research, publications and exhibitions.  It covers the period between 1897-1965, from the Korean Empire through the Colonial Period, and shows the influences of Western art: Europe via Japan and the United States. </p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/aff8677d-d1cb-4a38-bc3d-4fc2d1cc1624_bts rm art advocacy lacma 15.png" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Installation shot of &#x27;The Space Between: The Modern In Korean Art&#x27; <span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> @rkive  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><br/></div><p>In The Space Between: The Modern In Korean Art,  the work of Rha Hye Sok, Self-portrait, was displayed in the museum and introduced to the public via an audio narration by RM.  Rha Hye Sok was known as a Korean revolutionary artist and a pioneer in the Korean feminism movement in the 20th century. Her artistic style progressed into more daring and dark paintings. The gloomy and dark color scheme of &#x27;Self-portrait&#x27; reflects the emotional turmoil the artist was experiencing at the time.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:950px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/83d9cc36-1e83-4c05-be41-3d85efe1037d_self-portrait_by_na_hye-sok,_c._1928 (1).jpg" style="width:950px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=""/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Self-Portrait by Na Hye-sok, c. 1928<span id="isPasted" style="color:rgb(65, 65, 65);letter-spacing:normal;orphans:2;text-align:left;text-indent:0px;text-transform:none;widows:2;word-spacing:0px;-webkit-text-stroke-width:0px;white-space:normal;background-color:rgb(255, 255, 255);text-decoration-thickness:initial;text-decoration-style:initial;text-decoration-color:initial;display:inline !important;float:none"><em> Wikimedia Commons  </em></span></span></span></span></div><div><strong>Related Story: </strong><a href="/living/tips/15-son-ye-jin-inspired-cooking-accessories-for-new/33372" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">15 Son Ye-jin-Inspired Cooking Essentials For The Kitchen Rookie</a></div><div><br/></div><p>Fans lauded the BTS leader for championing women’s rights in his narrative, as Kim Nam-joon got to choose which pieces he would talk about in the show.  </p><div><br/></div><div><strong>Listen to it here:</strong></div><div><br/></div><div style="text-align:center"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">just realised that Namjoon got to choose which pieces he narrated for the LACMA exhibit… so he specifically chose to tell the story of Rha Hye-seok (known as a pioneer of Korean feminism), who was shunned by Korean society for criticising gender inequality. <a href="https://t.co/kfppo19TbZ">pic.twitter.com/kfppo19TbZ</a></p>— lex⁷ (@prodK0YA) <a href="https://twitter.com/prodK0YA/status/1569646809223397377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 13, 2022</a></blockquote> </div><div><br/></div><br/><div><br/></div><p>The singer-rapper-songwriter-BTS leader is renowned for his devotion to the arts, even attending Art Basel Basel and engaging in a studio visit with Japanese artist <a href="https://gagosian.com/artists/takashi-murakami/" target="_blank">Takashi Murakami</a> in Tokyo this year.  He also loaned a terracotta sculpture of a horse by artist <a href="https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2020/12/14/culture/artsDesign/Kwon-Jin-Kyu-K-Auction-Korean-art/20201214182607798.html" target="_blank">Kwon Jin-Kyu</a> to a Seoul Museum of Art retrospective which culminated in May.   Referring to a 2018 visit to <a href="https://www.artic.edu/" target="_blank">The Art Institute of Chicago</a> where he viewed paintings by the Neo-Impressionist, Seurat and the Impressionist Monet, he said in his <a href="https://www.artbasel.com/stories/podcasts" target="_blank">Art Basel Intersections podcast</a>, &#x27;“It was almost like Stendhal syndrome... It was like: wow. I was looking at these art pieces, and it was an amazing experience.&#x27;</p><div><br/></div><p>In the gallery below, see the many moments BTS’ RM, Kim Nam-Joon, indulges in his passion for art:</p><div><br/></div><div class="article-content" itemProp="articleBody"><div class="media-content"><div class="slider-for"><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/f9aaa52a-092a-43f2-9a2e-147cc5467241_bts rm art advocacy_gallery cover.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/25d6c7d3-3768-45a2-b9c5-a864dcfb05cb_bts rm art advocacy lacma.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/15e291f1-5648-4569-8a38-3e66e09ad3fa_bts rm art advocacy lacma 2.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/e440b8c7-20d9-4913-9b3d-3de6946fa10e_bts rm art advocacy lacma 3.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/54cdf72e-e948-424a-a2a3-155716a4ed23_bts rm art advocacy lacma 4.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/28e25cda-418d-419b-912d-fcfd9f692d90_bts rm art advocacy lacma 5.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/d9abc450-32bd-406e-8e28-afd3b305b641_bts rm art advocacy lacma 6.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/69a30521-90fb-4d5c-b48d-0b6f31fa9e52_bts rm art advocacy lacma 7.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/228da574-a000-4ab6-8abe-60b0c09e095d_bts rm art advocacy lacma 8.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/4c6d6945-df9d-4b4f-9289-7a2e0a39845d_bts rm art advocacy lacma 11.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/bd9e77cb-e453-4c8e-be4a-9e9a82053d56_bts rm art advocacy lacma 13.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/64df03ef-3f14-4738-8f4a-3bf8b8a71aa4_bts rm art advocacy lacma 14.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div><div><img loading="lazy" src="https://assets-metrostyle.abs-cbn.com/prod/metrostyle/attachments/c3c5f70d-78fe-4314-983f-760f1d9334f3_bts rm art advocacy lacma 25.png" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii"/></div></div><div class="media-content slider-desc"><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div><div class="item-desc"><div></div></div></div></div></div><div><br/></div><div><strong>All gallery photos from @rkive.</strong></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script>