The Nam June Paik Art Center in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, is holding an exhibition of some of Nam June Paik’s best-known artworks, along with those of his followers and other media artists who were influenced by him.Nearly 20 well-known works by Paik will be displayed at the exhibition, titled "Mediascape, à pas de Nam June Paik," which will be held from April 15 to July 3.

The exhibition offers an opportunity to learn about Paik’s artistic insights into the media of the future through his artworks and by seeing how his followers captured Paik’s spirit for their own modern mediascapes.

The exhibition is composed of works in a wide variety of media, including video art, sound art, web performance and installations. Paik's "First Portable TV" and "Fractal Turtle Ship" will be included to show his unique sense of creativity and imagination, along with works of modern media artists in their 30s and 40s.

(From left to right) Nam June Paik, "First Portable TV," 1973/ Nam June Paik, "Fractal Turtle Ship," 1995 (courtesy of Nam June Paik Art Center)


Nam June Paik, 'TV Garden,' 1974

Nam June Paik, 'TV Garden,' 1974

Paik painted a TV monitor on a kitchen utensil he used when he lived in Germany to create "First Portable TV." In "Fractal Turtle Ship," a six-meter high installation, Paik’s artistic values and unique interpretation of Korean traditional cultural heritage come through even in such a modern media piece.

Paik's "Suite 212 series" of 30 short collaborative pieces, will be shown in their entirety for the first time. Paik used the short works to criticize modern media and society, where TV rules through advertisements.

Some 30 artworks by Paik's followers and media artists from both Korea and overseas who are influenced by Paik will also be on display. The exhibition offers a chance to reconsider the relationship between nature and technology through works like Paik’s "TV Garden" and "Through the Bush" and "Blind Cave Fish" by Choi Sunghun and Park Sunmin.

Among the works on display by modern media artists, "Sound Drawing-Solo.Duo.Trio.Qartet" by Ki Chul Kim focuses on the question of “how to watch the sounds,” one of Paik’s major questions, since he started out in the arts by studying music composition. The piece uses the voices of inventor Thomas Alva Edison and Paik to create a unique soundscape. 

(From left to right) Ki Chul Kim, "Sound Drawing-Solo.Duo.Trio.Qartet," 2001-2011 / JODI, "Folding Screen Study," 2011 (courtesy of Nam June Paik Art Center)

Other media artists whose works are displayed in the exhibition include Paik’s assistant EIKE, Marisa Olson and Jan Verbeek from Germany, JODI, a group of Dutch artists who attended Paik's lectures in Düsseldorf, Germany, Kristin Lucas, Bill Viola and Dan Mikesell from the United States and Yuri Suzuki from Japan.

Nam June Paik, "Fashion Avenue," from "Suite 212" series on Seoul Square Media Canvas, 2011 (courtesy of Nam June Paik Art Center)


Even those unable to visit the center will have a chance to experience Paik's art. Thanks to cooperation between the center and Gana Art Gallery, Seoul Square Media Canvas at Seoul Square, will show "Fashion Avenue," a video clip from Paik's "Suite 212" series. This offers a precious opportunity to view Paik’s work in the heart of the city from April 15 to 30, every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m.

By Yoon Sojung

[Source: Korea.net]

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