Nam June Paik

I found 'Nam June Paik's' collection at the Tate Galley fascinating; although the limit of 30 minutes in the exhibition is most definitely not enough time to explore all of the works presented and so I will be visiting the show again before it closes on March 13th.

'Video artist, performance artist, composer and visionary: Nam June Paik (1932-2006) was one of the most innovative artists of the 20th century. Tate Liverpool, in collaboration with FACT (Foundation for Art and Creative Technology) present the first major retrospective since the artist’s death, and the first exhibition of Paik’s work in the UK since 1988. Nam June Paik at Tate Liverpool showcases around ninety works from all phases of his career, many shown in the UK for the first time, alongside a rich selection of documentary materials from Paik’s performances and early exhibitions.
The exhibition celebrates Paik as the inventor of media art.  At a time when television was still a novelty, Paik foresaw the future popularity of this new and exciting medium.  Thought provoking works like TV Buddha (1989) explore the clashing cultures of east and west, old and new, while Video Fish (1979 – 1992) considers nature versus the man made featuring both television sets and live fish in aquariums.
With artworks ranging from scores of early music performances and Paik’s involvement in the Fluxus movement to TV works, impressive robot sculptures and large-scale video installations; Tate Liverpool’s exhibition will both entertain and inspire.'

 On entering the first room, the piece to automatically catch the eye was the 52 Television sets piled up creating a video wall 'Internet Dream 1994'. Representing the channel suffering culture, awareness of developing technology and the amount of information it would offer; this piece definitely draws the viewer to stand and stare. I found myself in a trance almost, staring, trying to take in every image, every colour which flickered across each individual television set. After viewing all of the works presented for the exhibition I came back to this piece, still eager to gain my own interpretation of the work, this I am still unsure. 

Paik said: 'I did not consider myself a visual artist. But I knew there was something to be done in television and nobody else was doing it, so I said "Why not make it my job?"'
This statement inspired me alone. 

I would have to say my favourite piece in the exhibition was 'One Candle 1989', a closed-circuit installation with candle, camera and five video projectors.
Despite the works lack of mystery with the technology that produces the image, it retains a spiritual and medative feel. I love the combination between the old and the new; the old showing a candle, one of the oldest sources of light and the new being the technology itself. The primary colours of red, green and blue projected onto the wall creates a contrast with the warmth of the flame itself, making me question how to interperet this. It was deffinitely a relaxing environment, making me feel instantly warm (wether this was psychological because of the 'large flame' I don't know) in comparison to the flickering of the bright images and colours in most of the other works which created a different reaction.

'Untitled, Tie Drawing II' didn't particularly catch my eye like majority of the other pieces did but it almost immediately made me think of  the 'anthropometries' (body paintings) works of Yves Klein who I researched into previously in my development. Whilst Nam June Paik created the markings in the piece by soaking a tie in ink; juxtaposing the convensions of action paintings. Yves Klein used the naked body of women, using them as a human paintbrush....creating similar looking markings.

The interconnection of natural and technological collection of works were exciting, especially 'TV Garden 1994-77'. The installation with 60 television sets and 260 plants and diverse materials created an immediate wow factor, which stole most of my attention. The sound played throughout the space was pretty weird, making me cringe almost but I liked that. I liked that it was kind of bizzare and random incorporated with the plants and imagery flickerering on the screens. The idea alone inspired me the most, keeping me thinking about the piece even now.

From visiting this exhibition I suppose it made me think more so into technology in art and other ways in which it could be used, maybe even in my own work. I also started thinking further into exhibition presentation, on how to make the works flow throughout. The show deffinately inspired me in general, although hasn't particularly pushed me to change the work I am producing at the minute.