In his writing, “Global Groove and Video Commune” (1970), Nam June Paik proposed the concept, “Commons” by which he meant a video common market where active exchange and distribution of information would occur by free video communication, modeled after European Common Markets. His ideas are not only in close relation to the contemplation of democratic creation and usage of the arts pursued by the Fluxus, which Paik was also a member.
By Dimitris Lempesis Photo: Nam June Paik Art Center Archive
Commemorating the 10th anniversary, the Nam June Paik Art Center (NJP Art Center) experiments the feasibility of museum as the commons based on the motto, “Art Commons, Nam June Paik” along with the works of artists who continue to ruminate the new ontology and communication method of art. This exhibition tracks the subversive thinking of Paik who believed “Art is not private property” and saw Video art as the commons. The exhibition introduces the pioneering ideas of Paik who left his intellectual property accessible to everyone with works including Video Commune, which experimented his dream of “Video common market” through the interactive exchange of video worldwide, and the Paik-Ave Video Synthesizer, which experimented the interactive exchange among media and the intervention of the artist and audience. Furthermore, the exhibition will also showcase the ideas of other pioneering artists whom proposed novel ontology of art such as Joseph Beuys, who believed “Everyone is artist”, saw life itself as art and sought the possibility of political revolution within the arts. On presentation are works by: Hwayeon Nam, Dappertutto Studio, Rimini Protokoll, Bahc Yiso, Nam June Paik, Blast Theory, Ahn Kyuchul, Unmake Lab, Okin Collective, Joseph Beuys, Jeoung Jae choul, Part-time Suite and Heman Chong. Hwayeon Nam’s “Imjingawa” excavates the collective memory discovered while tracking the orally passed down community song. Rimini Protokoll’s “100% City” series is performed by the 100 residents from certain city, and they represent the statistical composition of population, gender, goods and environment of that city. For this exhibition Rimini Protokoll, present two different video performance series, “100% Gwangju” and “100% Amsterdam”. Jeoung Jae choul introduces works that crossover the ‘tragedy’ and ‘hope’ found in the commons, employing the cultural anthropology report on the garbage patch found in the ocean, which is the commons for the entire humanity. Additionally, Bahc Yiso, Blast Theory, Part-time Suite, and Heman Chong exhibit the scene of common goods shared by humanity, the interaction between local community and audience, and further express the ethical, political issue found in city development and the usage of the commons within the city. A separate archive exhibition, #NJPAC #10Years #Archive is presented on the first floor of the Center. This section exhibit various words that represent the ten years of the NJP Art Center along with statistical analysis, photographs, graphics and published materials of the previous exhibitions, education programs and other public programs curated by the NJP Art Center. This archive exhibition also provides a section for viewing audiovisual performances and to space to search information about the NJP Art Center.
Info: Curators: Chaeyoung Lee and Sooyougn Lee, Nam June Paik Art Center, 10 Paiknamjune-ro, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do, Korea, Duration 11/10/18-3/2/19, Days & Hours: Tue-Sun 10:00-18:00, http://njpac-en.ggcf.kr
In his writing, “Global Groove and Video Commune” (1970), Nam June Paik proposed the concept, “Commons” by which he meant a video common market where active exchange and distribution of information would occur by free video communication, modeled after European Common Markets. His ideas are not only in close relation to the contemplation of democratic creation and usage of the arts pursued by the Fluxus, which Paik was also a member.
