Nam June Paik (1932–2006) has been referred to as the “Father of Video Art” for his pioneering work in transforming video into a medium for artistic expression starting in the 1960s.
Born in Seoul to a wealthy business family, Paik trained as a classical musician, spending time in Japan and West Germany, where he joined the Fluxus collective and developed a friendship with experimental composer John Cage. He moved to New York City in 1964 and began working with cellist Charlotte Moorman to create performance art.
Soon after, he began to incorporate televisions and video tape recorders into his work, acquiring growing fame.
A selection of Paik’s work from the University of Rochester Memorial Art Gallery will be presented in a new exhibition opening on December 18, 2024.
The exhibit will take place in the museum’s introductory Forman Gallery and a screening of Nam June Paik: Edited for Television — a provocative portrait of the artist, his work, and his philosophies — in the Media Arts Watch Gallery.
Produced for public television station WNET/Thirteen in New York, Nam June Paik: Edited for Television features a unique interview of Paik by art critic Calvin Tomkins with witty commentary by host Russell Connor.
Videotaped in his Soho loft, Paik discusses his work in relationship to art movements such as Dada, Fluxus, and Minimalism, as well as the influence of composer John Cage and the meditative practice of Zen koan.
The University of Rochester Memorial Art Gallery’s permanent collection of more than 12,000 objects has been called “the best balanced in the state outside of metropolitan New York City.” In addition to its collection, the museum offers a year-round schedule of temporary exhibitions, lectures, concerts, tours, and family activities. Learn more here.
Photo: Nam June Paik in New York City in 1983.
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