M+, Asia’s global museum of contemporary visual culture in the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK) in Hong Kong, announces a new M+ Facade commission, Dancer in the Mirror Field (2025), by artist Ayoung Kim (South Korean, born 1979). Set in a futuristic city, this visually striking animated film explores society’s obsession with optimisation and efficiency through a mysterious annual competition. Commissioned by M+ and Powerhouse, Sydney, Dancer in the Mirror Field will be shown on the M+ Facade every night from Friday, 3 October to Sunday, 28 December 2025. The Hong Kong presentation is supported by Presenting Sponsor Julius Baer, a leading Swiss wealth management group. The work will be presented next year at Powerhouse, Sydney in a major exhibition that reflects on mall culture.

Dancer in the Mirror Field is a speculative fiction film depicting an annual competition organised by a delivery service platform. Coordinated by a mysterious entity, the contest aims to identify the individual with the most optimised movements. The work reflects on the contemporary obsession with efficiency and the performative effects it has on bodies in the service of wider technological and economic forces.

Three versions of the protagonist Ernst Mo (an anagram for ‘monster’) compete for the coveted title in locations where past and future seem to intertwine. Following the instructions relayed to them, the three Mos begin in a large structure resembling a high-tech gladiatorial coliseum that is inspired by Hong Kong’s sleek shopping malls. They then have a dramatic chase through the neon-drenched streets of a parallel universe Hong Kong. Throughout the film, various elements from Kim’s previous works reappear alongside digital cameos of real objects in the collections of M+ and Powerhouse, the museums that commissioned the work.

Dancer in the Mirror Field is part of Kim’s acclaimed fiction series Delivery Dancer (2022–ongoing). It is inspired by classic 1980s Hong Kong action films and stylish animated shows like Aeon Flux (1991–1995).

Suhanya Raffel, Museum Director, M+, says, ‘M+ is delighted to partner with Powerhouse, Sydney, on our joint commission for the M+ Facade, underscoring our shared commitment to supporting visionary artists like Ayoung Kim. The collaboration with Powerhouse embodies the transformative potential of artistic exchange, provoking critical reflection and deepening global dialogue on technology, moving image, and the human experience.’

Lisa Havilah, Chief Executive, Powerhouse, Sydney, says, ‘This inaugural commission marks the beginning of an exciting collaboration with M+, built on a shared commitment to supporting artists to bring ambitious work to new audiences. We are thrilled to be supporting Ayoung Kim’s major new work and following its premiere on the M+ Facade, we look forward to presenting it as part of the launch of our new museum Powerhouse Parramatta.’

Sunny Cheung, Curator, Design and Architecture, M+ and Francisco Lo, Assistant Curator, Moving Image, M+ say, ‘Kim’s work is a compelling reflection on the environments that shape our everyday lives. By blending speculative fiction with urban iconography, the work invites audiences to explore how movement, identity, and optimisation are constructed within society. We are particularly excited to see her visual language enriched by architectural references drawn from Hong Kong’s built environment and objects drawn from the collections of M+ and Powerhouse, Sydney. Premiering on the M+ Facade within the hustle and bustle of Hong Kong, the work resonates with the urban landscape as a site of critical inquiry.’

Ayoung Kim says, ‘This new chapter of Delivery Dancer delves into the tensions between individuality, technology, and labour. I am delighted the work will be presented on the M+ Facade prior to its exhibition at Powerhouse Parramatta. Set against Hong Kong’s dense urban fabric, the M+ Facade offers an extraordinary platform that amplifies the concept of Dancer in the Mirror Field and invites viewers to glimpse fragments of their everyday lives within it.’

On Saturday, 4 October 2025, M+ will host a conversation, moderated by Sunny Cheung, Curator, Design and Architecture, M+, between Ayoung Kim and Cha-i Kim, stunt actor of Squid Game and the stunt choreographer of Dancer in the Mirror Field. They will discuss the making of Dancer in the Mirror Field, their collaborative motion capture process, and Kim’s work with game engines and machine learning technologies. The free talk will be held in English and Korean, with consecutive interpretation in English. Please stay tuned for more updates to the programme on the M+ website.

About the artist

Ayoung Kim (born 1979, South Korea) is a Seoul-based multidisciplinary artist who works across installation, sound, performance, and moving image. Her celebrated Delivery Dancer series investigates mythology, navigation systems, and optimisation technologies. Kim has exhibited her work in many biennials, festivals, and institutions, including Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin (2025); Tate Modern, London (2025); Mori Art Museum, Tokyo (2025); National Asian Cultural Centre, Gwangju (2024-2025); Museum of Modern Art, New York (2024); Sharjah Biennial 15 (2023); Ars Electronica Festival, Linz (2023); and the 56th Venice Biennale (2015). Kim is a recipient of the LG Guggenheim Award, New York (2025); ACC Future Prize, Gwangju (2024); Golden Nica Award, Prix Ars Electronica, Linz (2023); and Terayama Shuji Prize, 37th Image Forum Festival, Tokyo (2023); among others.

About the M+ Facade Commissions

The M+ Facade is an expansive, light-powered canvas featuring thousands of LEDs on the south face of the M+ building, making it one of the largest media screens in the world. Overlooking Victoria Harbour, the facade showcases a dynamic mix of works from the M+ Collections, moving image commissions, and the museum’s identity, offering moments of play, humour, poetry, intellectual reflection, and artistic contemplation to thousands of onlookers each evening. Throughout the year, M+ collaborates with leading artists from all over the world, commissioning works for the facade that champion new moving image practices and deepen the museum’s connection with a global audience. These commissions speak to M+’s role as a pioneering global museum of contemporary visual culture engaged with technology and digital media while contributing to the thriving arts scene in Hong Kong.

About M+

M+ is Asia’s global museum of contemporary visual culture. Located in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK), it is dedicated to collecting, exhibiting, and interpreting visual art, design and architecture, moving image, and Hong Kong visual culture of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. The landmark M+ building on Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbourfront was designed by the world-renowned architectural firm Herzog & de Meuron in partnership with TFP Farrells and Arup. It spans a total floor area of 65,000 square metres, featuring thirty-three galleries alongside a Learning Hub, Moving Image Centre, Research Centre, and Roof Garden, among other event and programming spaces. The M+ Facade is one of the largest LED screens in the world, showcasing commissioned artworks on the Hong Kong skyline every evening. The museum stewards a multidisciplinary permanent collection that includes objects from regions across Asia and beyond. A highlight is the M+ Sigg Collection, one of the world’s most comprehensive collections of Chinese contemporary art. Today, M+ is a nexus for researching and presenting contemporary visual culture, inspiring thought and curiosity.

About the West Kowloon Cultural District (WestK)

WestK is one of the largest and most ambitious cultural hubs in the world and Hong Kong’s new cultural tourism landmark, spanning forty hectares alongside Victoria Harbour. WestK comprises a mix of landmark arts and cultural facilities, including world-class museums M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, intricately designed performing arts venues the Xiqu Centre and Freespace, the eleven-hectare Art Park with a waterfront promenade, and the upcoming WestK Performing Arts Centre.

Hosting over 1,000 exhibitions, performances, programmes, and events each year, WestK provides a vital platform for both emerging and established artists. WestK welcomes more than ten million visitors each year, evolving as the international cultural brand of Hong Kong and strengthening the city’s strategic role as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange.

About Powerhouse

Powerhouse sits at the intersection of arts, design, science and technology and plays a critical role in engaging communities with contemporary ideas and issues. We are undertaking a landmark $1.3 billion infrastructure renewal program, spearheaded by the creation of the new museum, Powerhouse Parramatta; expanded research and public facilities at Powerhouse Castle Hill; the renewal of the iconic Powerhouse Ultimo; and the ongoing operation of Sydney Observatory. The museum is custodian to over half a million objects of national and international significance and is considered one of the finest and most diverse collections in Australia. We are also undertaking an expansive digitisation project that will provide new levels of access to the Powerhouse Collection.