Nam June Paik, Tate Modern - ★★★★ - Until February 9, 2020


The late Korean artist, Nam June Paik, was an internationalist who frequently collaborated with artists from various other countries. He worked with John Cage, Merce Cunningham, Charlotte Moorman and Joseph Beuys to name just a few. His work is equally eclectic: musical scores, robots, installations and environments. He is fascinated by technology, but unlike so many he sees how it might be complementary to and an extension of the natural world (TV Garden). In so many ways, he brings an eastern, Buddhist sensibility to his art even as he incorporates influences as disparate as Beethoven and Allen Ginsberg. Nam June Paik sees us not just consumers of art and technology but as its creators, and he anticipates much of the contemporary world. This is quite an amazing retrospective of his practice from Hand in Face from 1961 to his 1993 Sistine Chapel presented here for the first time since its showing in that year's Venice Biennale exhibition. There are over two hundred works in this show and they will eventually be displayed in five galleries on three continents. This is the definitive exhibition of this important artist's work and shouldn't be missed.

Reviewed by J.C.
Image: TV Buddha by Nam June Paik, 1974. © The Estate of Nam June Paik.

 Our Score:  ☆☆☆☆ 

WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:

Until February 9, 2020
Sun - Thu: 10 am - 4:30 pm
Fri & Sat: 10 am - 8:30 pm
Tate Modern
Nearest tube: Waterloo
https://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/nam-june-paik

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