Nam June Paik
Nam June Paik (1932–2006) was the founder of video art and a pioneering media artist who expanded television, satellites, and robots into the language of art after beginning with experimental music and the Fluxus movement. Inspired by John Cage’s ideas of chance and indeterminacy, he introduced participation and interactivity that positioned the audience as active agents in art, while infusing humor and satire to subvert institutions and authority. His first exhibition, Exposition of Music–Electronic Television (Wuppertal, 1963), presented video experiments that transcended traditional art forms, and later satellite projects such as Good Morning, Mr. Orwell (1984) opened up new possibilities for global connectivity and communication. His practice sought to liberate media from institutional control and to transform art into a field of play, freedom, and exchange.
Artworks
- Neon TV – 22nd Century Fox, 1990, Mixed media, 63 × 65 × 25 cm
- Neon TV – Heaven and Earth, 1990, Mixed media (TV monitor, neon, Watchman), 58 × 65 × 28 cm
Neon TV – Heaven and Earth is part of Nam June Paik’s Neon TV series, in which the artist transforms the television from a medium of image transmission into a sculptural structure that reveals the flow of signals and the vibration of light. Composed of a TV monitor, neon, a Sony Watchman, vacuum tubes, and metal antennas, the work visualizes the conversion of electronic signals into light and color. Circular neon rings reminiscent of Saturn encircle the screen, while layers of red and black paint overlap across the glass surface. As a result, the television no longer functions as a device for reproducing external images but becomes an emitter, an autonomous universe where signals and interference operate freely.Neon TV – Heaven and Earth exposes the dual nature of television as both a receiver that captures broadcast signals and a transmitter that emits light and images. Paik translated the medium’s physical principles into a visual language, embracing signal interference and noise as chance-based compositional elements. Here, the electronic circuit functions not as a mere technical mechanism but as a new conduit for sensory experience. For Paik, television was not a channel of information but a self-generating world in which signals and energy produced images of their own. Through its emergent rather than broadcast imagery, Neon TV – Heaven and Earth reveals how electronic media can transform into an artistic language at the intersection of perception, signal, and matter. - Neon TV – Dish Antenna, 1990, Mixed media, 60 × 60 × 25 cm
- Neon TV – Button, 1990, Mixed media (TV monitor, neon, Watchman), 58 × 64 × 25 cm
Artist Responses
What media and technical components make up this work?This work is composed of neon tubes, a small television device (SONY Watchman), and oil painting on printed canvas.Is conversion into other formats possible?No.Are there plans to migrate or emulate this work in response to future technological changes?Yes.What should be prioritized to ensure the long-term care of this work?As neon has been largely replaced by LED, workshops capable of producing neon tubes have become increasingly rare, and the SONY Watchman device is no longer in production. Therefore, it is necessary to consider ways to preserve the original form of the device while converting its internal components to a digital format. At the same time, securing identical units or keeping backup devices in reserve is essential for future conservation and maintenance.What do you consider the essential element that must be sustained, even if the medium changes?In this work, the Watchman TV screen is neither fixed to a specific channel nor used to play a pre-recorded video by Nam June Paik. Instead, it receives ambient broadcast signals, filling the screen with light, lines, dots, and static. This configuration allows the viewer to reflect on Paik’s artistic experiments within an art-historical context, while the neon and Chinese characters symbolize his playful and ironic worldview. Therefore, even if the medium changes, the artistic attitude grounded in chance, openness, and humor must be preserved.Does the work depend on specific technical forms or hardware?This work relies on materials and devices that are now difficult to obtain, including neon, a SONY Watchman TV, and a printed canvas created by Nam June Paik. These technical forms and hardware components are directly tied to the work’s formal and conceptual integrity, and thus any potential replacements must be carefully considered in future conservation and restoration processes.What are the most important environmental conditions for installation (such as space, lighting, or sound)?There are no special installation requirements. However, the work should be displayed in a standard environment where electronic devices can operate stably, that is, a space with appropriate temperature, humidity, and a reliable power supply.To what extent can the work be reinstalled in the future without the direct involvement of the artist?As the artist has passed away, direct involvement is no longer possible. Therefore, any future reinstallation should be carried out based on existing installation records and documentation, following conservation guidelines that faithfully reflect the artist’s original intent.Can the current form of the work be maintained in the future?The work should be preserved and restored using the original materials whenever possible. However, if the same materials or technologies can no longer be obtained, accurate archival documentation should be made before seeking appropriate alternatives. Since the technologies used are relatively old, complete reproduction is rarely impossible; rather, our task lies in finding secondary solutions that prevent the work from becoming inoperative.If specific equipment or components fail, can they be replaced?When considering the replacement of specific devices or components, it is first necessary to discuss the extent to which “originality” can be defined in a media artwork. Rather than focusing solely on replicating the physical elements, the more important criterion is how the artist’s intention and concept can be preserved and rearticulated. From this perspective, replacement should not be seen as a simple technical substitution but as an interpretive process aimed at maintaining the conceptual integrity of the work.Are there any particular points you would like to emphasize or considerations to note regarding the preservation of the work?Not applicable.