Rochester, NY — The Memorial Art Gallery will present the work of groundbreaking and visionary artist Nam June Paik this December. Paik (1932–2006) is referred to as the “Father of Video Art” for transforming video into a medium for artistic expression, which started in the 1960s.
Guests will see Paik’s work from the museum’s collection in the introductory Forman Gallery and have the opportunity to view Nam June Paik: Edited for Television—a provocative portrait of the artist, his work, and his philosophies—in the Media Arts Watch Gallery. The video is on loan from Electronic Arts Intermix.
Produced for public television station WNET/Thirteen in New York, Nam June Paik: Edited for Television (1975, 30 mins.) reveals a unique interview of Paik by art critic Calvin Tompkins with witty commentary by host Russell Connor. Videotaped in his Soho loft, Paik discusses his work in relationship to art movements such as Dada, Fluxus, and Minimalism, as well as the influence of composer John Cage and the meditative practice of Zen koan.
Both exhibitions will run from December 18, 2024 through May 4, 2025.
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About the Memorial Art Gallery
The Memorial Art Gallery showcases art from antiquity to the present day, including the outdoor public Centennial Sculpture Park. In addition to its permanent collection, MAG offers a year-round schedule of special exhibitions, lectures, concerts, tours, after-hours social events, and family activities.
Hours: Wednesday–Sunday, 11 am to 5 pm, and until 9 pm on Thursdays. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.
Admission: $20; senior citizens, $18; college students with ID and children 6–18, $9. Always free to members, University of Rochester faculty, staff, students, and children five and under. Half-price general admission on Thursdays from 5–9 pm is made possible by Monroe County.
Discounted admission tickets are available when purchasing online. For more information, call 585.276.8900 or visit mag.rochester.edu.
Image: Nam June Paik, Bakelite Robot, 2002, mixed media. Maurice R. and Maxine B. Forman Fund, Marion Stratton Gould Fund, Clara and Edwin Strasenburgh Fund, Lyman K. and Eleanore B. Stuart Endowment Fund, and Thelma M. Knapp Fund, 2018.34
Press contact: Melanie Fazio, Director of Marketing and Engagement: 585.276.8937 / mfazio@mag.rochester.edu