Nam June Paik
Roboter [Kleiner Roboter]
1991
- Artist / Artist group
- Nam June Paik
- Title
- Roboter [Kleiner Roboter]
- Year
- 1991
- Category
- Sculpture
- Material / Technique
- metal, electrical, bulb
- Dimensions / Duration
- 58 x 16,5 x 13 cm
- Collection
- ZKM | Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe
- Description
- Nam June Paik (1932 Seoul, South Korea – 2006 Florida, USA) is considered one of the most important pioneers of video art. He began experimenting with new media as early as the 1960s and developed a novel and still influential artistic language with works such as “TV Cello” (1971) and “TV Buddha” (1974). His creations had a decisive influence on the intertwining of art, music, technology, and performance. In a playful and often humorous way, Paik questioned the relationship between humans and television, religion and technology, everyday life and the screen. He never viewed technology in an isolated manner, but rather as an integral part of a cultural, biological, and spiritual system. His works raise questions that invite viewers to engage in an inner dialogue and allow for their own interpretations. Paik's oeuvre is diverse: it ranges from early tape collages and TV installations to conceptual graphics, robot sculptures, and satellite-based media projects. He repeatedly returned to certain motifs, which he implemented in a variety of ways in his works and placed in new contexts. His sculpture “Robot [Small Robot]” is a characteristic example of the fusion of Nam June Paik's central themes. The figure combines complex technologies with simplicity of form. The small robot is assembled from various everyday materials such as metal parts, cables, and a light bulb, and its simplicity of composition and function lend it a humorous touch. The overall appearance of the sculpture makes it seem almost alive, reminiscent of a human figure. For Paik, the themes of humans and machines are inseparable, which he repeatedly expresses in his works. The “Robot [Small Robot]” symbolizes Paik's idea of art in which technology does not contradict creativity, but rather expands it.
Author
Lara
Mainzer