Nam June Paik – PBS ( 1963-2000 ) Then and Now
September 14 – October 19
OPENING RECEPTION: September 14, 7-9pm
PANEL DISCUSSION: October 10, 6-8pm
Pioneering video artist Nam June Paik and the monumental public art installation he created in Trenton will be the subject of “PBS (1963-2000), Then and Now”.
This exhibition will focus on Paik, considered one of the most innovative artists of the 20th Century, and will detail how he came to create his neon and video Trenton masterwork, “PBS (1963-2000),” which recently underwent a full restoration after being unlit for more than a decade.
In 1992, as part of the New Jersey Arts Inclusion Program, which sets aside a percentage of state building construction costs for public art, Paik was commissioned to create a piece for the New Jersey Network building on Front Street in Trenton. “PBS (1963-2000)” was finished in 1993, consisting of two 20-by-12-foot wall panels filled with neon and 54 19” televisions streaming video creating by Paik as well as live feeds of NJN programming.
“PBS (1963-2000)” is emblematic of Paik’s broader interest in the power of broadcast technology to spread ideas widely and democratically. The piece also specifically references Trenton-area contributions to communications technology like the invention of color television at the nearby Sarnoff Center. Incorporating original drawings, plans, equipment and video content,
“PBS (1963-2000), Then and Now” is a fitting multimedia homage to Paik’s dazzling artwork. The exhibit documents the creation of “PBS (1963-2000),” as well as its full restoration earlier this year, funded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and overseen by Artworks.
Paik (b. 1932 – d. 2006) was born in South Korea, studied in Japan, and lived in Germany before settling in New York City. He achieved global fame through his playful and thought-provoking art using televisions and video, effectively inventing the discipline of video art.
PANEL DISCUSSION: October 10, 6-8pm ( Refreshments – 5-6pm )
Join us on October 10, from 6-8pm for a panel discussion with the key people responsible for the initial installation and restoration of PBS (1963-2000) .
Key Speakers include:
