Nam June Paik
at Tate Modern

As a first step of the partnership with Tate, Hyundai Motor supported the acquisition of nine key works by the South Korean artist Nam June Paik (1932-2006). Through the generosity of the artist’s family and with the support of Tate’s Asia Pacific Acquisitions Committee, Tate Americas Foundation and Hyundai, Nam June Paik’s works became a part of Tate’s collection. In November 2014, Tate Modern opened a two-room display of works by Nam June Paik, which consisted of seven key works and four rarely-seen works on paper. These works span more than 40 years, and therefore you could see his artistic achievements. Viewers from across the world were offered a chance to look back on the past through his works as well as take a peek into the future.

As there is a saying that a good beginning makes a good ending, the start determines many things that follow. If something is familiar to us, it is because someone pioneered for it: One example would be artworks using televisions that can be frequently seen in art museums today. In the early 1960s, when no one thought that a television could be included in the scope of art, Nam June Paik brought the television as a medium for art. At that time, when art and technologies were perceived as being at opposite points and as not being able to coexist with each other, the attempts of the artist caused a new stir in the art scene. Tate Modern showing the works that represent the bold attempts of the artist Nam June Paik proves that his views are still viable today. ■ with ARTINPOST