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Nam June Paik, Untitled (Red Hand), 1967, 19th-century paper scroll by Komatsu Akira, red ink, light bulb, and wood frame, National Gallery of Art, Washington, Gift of the Hakuta Family

Untitled (Red Hand), Paik (ASL)

Paik was born in Seoul, South Korea, but grew up and lived in Japan, Germany, and, finally, New York. Paik pioneered the use of new media, including video, in art. For this work, Paik altered a 19th-century Japanese scroll by adding his handprint and placing a flashing red light behind it. The juxtaposition of a traditional art form with modern technology would become a hallmark of Paik’s work.

09/30/16