Nam June Paik
Write an essay about an artist Nam June Paik and discuss it in the context of Video Art, and New Media Art in general.
The essay must include a specific work of Video Art, as well as an interpretation of your selection based on your understanding of the work and the qualities of the video review in the course materials.
Aim for about 4 thoughtful paragraphs.
Refer to the Suggested Outline below.
Use the work of art as your text. While you are encouraged to consult course materials and the museum/gallery page linked below, no additional outside research is required. Please be sure to cite any sources if you do consult them (MLA style is preferred).
It’s helpful to include a word count at the end of your paper.
Include any images you discuss in your paper. Practice labeling your images with artist, title, date, and medium. Note that titles of artworks should always be italicized.
Paragraph 1 (about 50-100 words)
Introduce the work of art with the artist’s name, title (in italics), date it was created (if known), and medium (for example, multichannel video, video installation, black and white video, etc.). You can also include where the work is located or was installed if known, but this is optional.
Include a thesis statement. Your thesis should provide a framework for your analysis and suggest your interpretation of the work and why it is a good representation of Video Art. A thesis statement does not necessarily involve a statement of the argument, but it should let the reader know how the artist’s formal choices affect the viewer’s understanding of the work’s content.
Give the reader a sense of what you think the work of art is about and what the effect of the use of video has on the viewer? You might think about why the artist chose video. How would the work be different in another medium?
Paragraphs 2 & 3 (about 150 words each)
In paragraph 2, briefly describe your example and point to the specific characteristics of Video and New Media Art you see used. For example, is the work interactive, dynamic, collaborative, participatory, or adaptable? Does it explore appropriation, feedback, or instant replay? Does it expose the mechanics of video? Does it explore process? You should be able to apply at least two characteristics of Video Art and two characteristics of New Media to your example.
When discussing your artwork, you may also consider if the artist explores time, movement, color, or sound. Is the work projected outside, or is it within the walls of the gallery or museum space? How does the work’s location affect the viewer’s experience of it? Does the video immerse the viewer in an installation, or is it more intimate?
Paragraph 3 should address your interpretation of the artwork; this is what you think the work of art is about. Since you are viewing the video online, you might think about how this platform differs from being in the same physical space as the artwork. Be sure to back up any interpretation with direct observation of the art object!
Conclusion (about 50-100 words)
Your conclusion should briefly summarize your findings and relate back to the thesis statement you presented in your introduction; however, you should avoid simply repeating what you’ve already stated. You should include any new ideas, insights, or understandings you gained about the work through the analysis process.
For example, consider how your example affected your understanding of Video Art (and perhaps of New Media more broadly). Does it give you a new appreciation of how artists can use video to encourage viewer participation and interaction? Did the work transform space in new or unexpected ways? Does it provide social commentary, or suggest a break with conventional approaches to art and/or art-making?
Don’t forget to include an image, or images, of the artwork you’re discussing in your paper.
