record

Thesis Info

LABS ID
00625
Thesis Title
Interactive Art Based on Musical Genealogy: Nam June Paik’s Random Access
Author
Byeongwon Ha
2nd Author
3rd Author
Degree
PhD Candidate (earned MFA)
Year
2017
Number of Pages
7
University
Virginia Commonwealth University
Thesis Supervisor
Dr. Colin Lang
Supervisor e-mail
calang AT vcu.edu
Other Supervisor(s)
Prof. Stephen Vitiello
Language(s) of Thesis
English
Department / Discipline
Media, Art & Text
Languages Familiar to Author
English
URL where full thesis can be found
www.isea-archives.org
Keywords
Nam June Paik, Interactive art, Random Access
Abstract: 200-500 words
Random Access (1963) is one of the earliest interactive art pieces, which incorporates an electronic interface in art. Compared to Paik’s fame in video art, his originality in interactive art was hardly examined in the history of new media art. This paper explores Random Access as a pioneering project in interactive art. Paik was educated in West Germany from 1956 to 1963. Based on his academia in the center of music, Paik published several music articles for Korean and Japanese readers as a foreign correspondent. Unfortunately, his articles about progressive music in Europe were never translated into English. Paik was inspired by Karlheinz Stockhausen, Pierre Schaeffer and John Cage when he started to create his own interactive project. His specific articles about these experimental composers reveal that Random Access shows a long-time development of a diligent academic artist. As a history of interactive art, this study traces Paik’s unprecedented creation, which made a significant transition from music to interactive art.