Nam June Paik Zen for TV 1963 (executed 1981)

  • MoMA, Floor 4, 410 The David Geffen Wing

Paik was among the first artists to experiment with video and television as mediums for art. One of his earliest works, Zen for TV consists of a television set in which the picture on the screen has been collapsed into a single line. Paik spent months learning about the construction and components of televisions so that he could better rewire them to create unexpected results. He predicted that the cathode ray tube would replace the canvas, anticipating the incredibly rich and varied body of video art that exists today.

Gallery label from "Collection 1940s—1970s", 2019
Medium
Altered television set
Dimensions
overall: 22 13/16 x 16 15/16 x 14 3/16" (58 x 43 x 36 cm)
Edition
12
Credit
The Gilbert and Lila Silverman Fluxus Collection Gift
Object number
2625.2008.2
Copyright
© 2023 Nam June Paik
Department
Drawings and Prints

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