On the role of performance and audience in Nam June Paik’s trailblazing media art
This publication focuses on a feature of media artist Nam June Paik’s (1932–2006) oeuvre that has been largely overlooked: the live dimension of his work, a consistent element running through his artistic career. The experience of the audience and their active involvement were crucial components in Paik’s work. Starting with his early career as a composer, one focus of the book is on the way Paik approaches music as a score, a concept and an event. His artistic ideas and methods are presented with reference to key series of works―including his performances, his participatory pieces, his interest in live television and his multimedia works. This richly illustrated chronicle of his performances gives a vivid portrait of these live encounters. Specially designed pages created by the artists Annika Kahrs, Autumn Knight, Aki Onda and Samson Young underscore the relevance of Paik’s work today.
