Date of Birth: July 20, 1932
Zodiac Sign: Cancer
Date of Death: January 29, 2006
Biography
Nam June Paik was born on July 20, 1932, in Seoul, Korea. He is widely regarded as the founder of video art. His innovative works and concepts have had a profound impact on the development of contemporary art, particularly in the use of technology and media. Paik studied music at the University of Tokyo, where he wrote a thesis on the composer Arnold Schoenberg. He later moved to Germany to continue his studies in music history at the University of Munich. In Germany, Paik met avant-garde artists such as Karlheinz Stockhausen and John Cage, which significantly influenced his artistic direction. He began experimenting with electronic media and eventually became a pioneering figure in the Fluxus movement. Paik’s work often incorporated video, television sets, and installations that challenged conventional notions of art and media. One of his most famous works, “TV Buddha,” features a statue of Buddha watching its own image on a closed-circuit television. Another notable contribution is his collaboration with cellist Charlotte Moorman, which resulted in performances that combined music, video, and live action in groundbreaking ways. Nam June Paik continued to create and exhibit his works globally until his death on January 29, 2006. His legacy lives on through his influential contributions to video art and his visionary use of technology in art.
5 Interesting Facts about Nam June Paik
1. Nam June Paik coined the term “electronic superhighway,” predicting the future of telecommunications and the internet.
2. He was a classically trained musician and initially intended to become a composer.
3. Paik’s first solo exhibition, “Exposition of Music – Electronic Television,” was held in 1963 and is considered the first instance of video art.
4. He collaborated with John Cage and other avant-garde musicians, which deeply influenced his approach to art.
5. Paik was the first artist to use a portable video camcorder, which Sony had given him, to record his work “Global Groove” in 1973.
5 Most Interesting Quotes from Nam June Paik
1. “The future is now.”
2. “Skin has become inadequate in interfacing with reality. Technology has become the body’s new membrane of existence.”
3. “I use technology in order to hate it properly.”
4. “Television has attacked us for a lifetime, now we fight back.”
5. “When too perfect, lieber Gott böse.”
Highest Net Worth Achieved
Nam June Paik’s highest net worth is estimated to have been around $5 million at the time of his death.
Children
Nam June Paik did not have any children.
Relevant Links
1. [Nam June Paik Art Center](http://www.njpartcenter.kr/
2. [Guggenheim Biography](https://www.guggenheim.org/artwork/artist/nam-june-paik
3. [Smithsonian American Art Museum](https://americanart.si.edu/artist/nam-june-paik-3671
4. [The Art Story: Nam June Paik](https://www.theartstory.org/artist/paik-nam-june/
5. [MoMA Collection](https://www.moma.org/artists/4385
