Nam June Paik: I Expose the Music

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.