Nam June Paik
Telephone X
2000
- Artist / Artist group
- Nam June Paik
- Title
- Telephone X
- Year
- 2000
- Category
- Sculpture
- Material / Technique
- plastic, brush, electrical components
- Dimensions / Duration
- 30 x 9 x 3,8 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. Created in 2000, Telephone X is a sculptural assemblage that Paik appears to have created from simple household objects. A bottle brush serves as an antenna, and small stars and decorative elements are attached to the body, creating an object reminiscent of a futuristic mobile phone. This work is a characteristic example of his experimental exploration of media, everyday culture, and the fusion of complex technology and simplicity of form.
Author
Lara
Mainzer