NM: Week 6 – Nam June Paik – TV Garden

Nam June Paik was a Korean American artist, he was often known as the “father of video art” (The Art Story). As technology was becoming more popular he combined it with traditional art forms, often incorporating video clips within his physical work. Nam June Paik began practicing in 1963, this is when he made his big debut as an artist (The Art Story). He worked all the way up until 2004, two years before he died.

What is the title of the video you have chosen to analyse (can you provide a link?) 

I have chosen to analyse a piece of artwork which is titled TV Garden. I have also included a video of one of the televisions from the installation and what was shown on it.

https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/9537

With the video you are examining when was it produced (date)?

This piece was created in 1974. The installation was created using a mixture of mediums including live plants and multiple colour televisions that were playing videos (Guggenheim).

How was the video authored and published?

There are no exact measurements for the installation as it varies within the exhibition (Guggenheim). Judging from the photographs of the TV Garden, the installation is spread accross a whole room. The piece is made up of around thirty televisions scattered throughout the exhibition. The video playing on the televisions is an edited version of  ‘Global Groove’ (Media Art Net). This video was in fact a collaboration Paik did with John J. Godfrey in 1973 (Guggenheim).

How was the photo or video distributed?

The installation at the time was under a time constraint be it that it included living plants. However, the installation was recreated in the year 2000 for the Paik’s exhibition at the Guggenheim Museum (Guggenheim).

Sources/References:

“Nam June Paik Art, Bio, Ideas.” The Art Story, www.theartstory.org/artist-paik-nam-june.htm.

“TV Garden.” Guggenheim, 20 Mar. 2019, www.guggenheim.org/artwork/9537.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EiOeZxE5twQ

Media Art Net. “Media Art Net | Paik, Nam June: TV-Garden.” Medien Kunst Netz, Media Art Net, 2 May 2019, www.medienkunstnetz.de/works/tv-garden/.