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NAM-JUNE PAIKand his influence on KOREAN ARTS

SEOKIN JANG | PARSONS MFADT 2012 | NEW MEDIA ART: PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE PGTE 5187 | INSTRUCTOR: TED BYFIELD

This research project is about how Nam-June Paik (NJP), who is one of the most popular new media artists in the world, has influenced with Korean arts. Before it starts, we need to know the history of Korea in mid 1900’s and Korean postmodernism for better understanding

Finished Colonial Rule by Japan, 1945

Korean War, 1950

The Military Government, 1961

Korean art and design faced political and social crisis. After 5 years of finished colonial rule by Japan, Korea had the Korean War in 1950. It was pretty hard time to survive. Their houses destroyed, and many families were separated by the war. Since Korean War, political and social communities had been conflicted and divided. The political situation of Korea was in chaos. In 1961, the military government was established by a military coup.

Police officer inspected length of men’s hair and women’s skirtThe power of the military government was pretty strong. People could not go out side during 12am to 4am, police officer inspected length of men’s hair and women’s skirt, and people were not allowed or blame to Korean government or President. If someone blamed government or President, an agent from NSP (the Agency for National Security Planning) arrested him. At that time, many people died, or were out of contact.

Gwangju Democratization Movement In Aug 15 1980

Death toll 166, Missing 54, Aftereffect Death 376, Injured 3139

In Aug 15 1980, Korea was under martial law because the press announced there were some North Korean agents in southern Korea. However, the people, called North Korean agents by the press, were actually the common citizen, participated in Gwangju Democratization Movement. Actually, the press was under control by government. Anyway they were killed by their government because of the reason that they criticized the government.

Like this, Korean society couldn’t afford to pay any attention to others, and Korean government stifled free expression of the people. Therefore, in the oppressive social atmosphere, it was hard to have creative and critical thinking. Moreover, authority groups were predominated about the fear of the new thing or the unknown. Finally, the first civilian government replaced in 1993, and Korean postmodernism begun. Actually, it is true that there had been some artworks like critical arts since Chosun Dynasty and the Japanese occupation period. However, there were not only much more artists, but also common citizen could participate to criticize and had more freedom of expression with postmodernism movement after the civilian government era. And there was NJP at the center of Korean postmodernism.

NAM-JUNE PAIK1932-2006

He is one of the representative postmodernism artists. He worked with a variety of media and is considered to be the first video artist. He liked to apply satire and fun into his artworks because he considered that communication between audiences and artists is important. Namely, the art should be enjoyable and able to participate.

Nixon TV, 1965

NJP’s Art Spirit Participation Communication Satire Fun Popular Combination

One of the representative examples is Nixon TV (1965). This artwork represented for not only showing distortion of social issue like Nixon’s lie, but also inducement to people’s participation like the audience can move the magnet, and actually they make fun Nixon’s face on TV.

Moreover, he attempted to harmonize Korean or Asian traditional thought and culture with cutting-edge technology through his artworks. He tried the meeting between Eastern meditation and Western technology. He adopted Zen Buddhism, but maintained a critical attitude. Nam-June Paik pursued the interacting with the audience in the artistic creation, which has something in common with Shamanism. The latter, inspiring him in his art for communication and participation was deeply connected with his consciousness of roots. He presented a good case of glocal culture, which seeks the coexistence between the global and the local by harmonizing traditional culture and thought with high technology.

Change of Korean Art after NJP

“Showed Possibilities of Korean Art”

The More the Better, 1988

It is true that Korean Art was intimidated to express what artists want. However, they gained confidence and got direction where art should go after NJP. NJP loved to express and reflect ‘Korean’ into his artworks. The more the better(1988) was made up 1003 TV monitors. 1003 means the date of the National foundation Day of Korea, October 3rd. And the shape of this artworks expressed the Korean traditional tower. This artwork symbolizes a constituting principle of mass-communication. Like this, NJP showed the lots of possibilities of Korean art through his artworks. Therefore, today, Korean artists found possibility that Korean style, culture and spirit can be very popular all over the world.