American artist Trevor Paglen has been named the recipient of the 2026 LG Guggenheim Award, it was announced Wednesday. The prestigious award recognizes Paglen’s groundbreaking work exploring the often-hidden infrastructures of artificial intelligence, surveillance technologies, and digital systems.
Paglen, selected as the fourth honoree under the LG Guggenheim Art and Technology Initiative, will receive a $100,000 unrestricted prize. This initiative represents a five-year partnership between LG and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, dedicated to supporting innovative artists working at the forefront of art and technology.
Based in New York, Paglen is renowned for revealing the invisible technological systems that shape our world, including data extraction processes, computer vision algorithms, and state surveillance networks. His multidisciplinary approach encompasses photography, sculpture, engineering, and research, critically examining how digital images and machine-driven processes influence our perceptions of reality.
“Paglen has undertaken foundational investigations into the infrastructures of surveillance, artificial intelligence and data extraction that shape contemporary life,” said Naomi Beckwith, Deputy Director and Chief Curator at the Guggenheim Museum.
Paglen explains that his work centers on the increasing influence of images and algorithms on our decisions, identities, and culture.
“I’m interested in exploring new forms of vision and imagining alternative ways of seeing,” he stated.
LG emphasized that the award reflects its commitment to responsible technology development, especially within the field of artificial intelligence.
“As we advance our AI capabilities, we recognize that true innovation demands transparency, accountability, and a commitment to the human-centered application of technology. By celebrating Trevor’s vision, LG reaffirms its dedication to building an AI future that is not only powerful but ethically grounded and deserving of human trust,” said Seol Park, Head of Brand at LG Corp.
Born in Maryland in 1974, Paglen has exhibited his work extensively at prestigious institutions, including the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Tate Modern. He was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship in 2017 and an Electronic Frontier Foundation award in 2014.
As part of the LG Guggenheim Award, Paglen will present a lecture-performance titled “The Lizard People Are Here!” at the Guggenheim Museum in New York on May 18th. His highly anticipated book, “How to See Like a Machine,” is scheduled for release on May 19th.
The LG Guggenheim Art and Technology Initiative, launched in 2022, is set to name one final award recipient in 2027. Past recipients include Stephanie Dinkins, Shu Lea Cheang, and Kim A-young.
