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Smithsonian American Art Museum
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On Sunday, April 14, we'll be celebrating the exhibition Nam June Paik: Global Visionary with a day-long exploration of Paik's artistic legacy. In the afternoon, prominent Paik scholars and artists who worked with him will take an in-depth look at his creative genius, followed by a gallery talk in the exhibition with associate curator, Michael Mansfield. In the evening, composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, musician and artist Stephen Vitiello, and video artist Steina Vasulka will perform a selection of Paik's film and music. See the bottom of this email for details, or check our online calendar.
In anticipation of this event, we asked Stephen Vitiello to interview Ryuichi Sakamoto for the museum's blog. See below for an excerpt, or visit Eye Level for the full post.
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Musician and Media Artist Stephen Vitiello Interviews Composer Ryuichi Sakamoto
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Stephen Vitiello (left) and Ryuichi Sakamoto (right) collaborate in a studio recording session.
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Stephen Vitiello: When we first met, you told me that as a young man (or maybe, even a teenager?) in Japan, you were aware of Nam June Paik. Can you talk a bit about your early impressions of Paik?
Ryuichi Sakamoto: When I was a teen in the '60s, I loved looking at the modern art magazines and I found a handsome Asian artist. That was Nam June, who was one of a few Asian artists active in New York then. Naturally, he became one of my idols.
Stephen: At the time, did you know about Nam June's musical past? Or do you think there was anything about the musicality of his images or editing that you responded to?
Ryuichi: I liked his visual side. I got to know his musical background later. But thinking of the rhythm of his video editing, his musical background must have worked into his visual work in some way and I must have sensed that instinctively. By the way, I saw his piano play along with Joseph Beuys' performance in the '80s in Tokyo. It was wild.
Stephen: I'm sorry if this is a long lead-in. The first time I worked with Nam June was in 1991. Paik asked me to help organize a concert in which he performed with the great hardcore band, the Bad Brains, while projecting images of Joseph Beuys. Beuys had passed away about five years earlier. After the concert, Nam June told me that his interest in staging the event was to cross time and space. He was bringing Beuys back from the past and into the concert hall. Nam June was working with a band of a younger generation, and also hoping to expose the Bad Brains' audience to the work of Beuys, and the more art world oriented audience members to the Bad Brains' music. It occurs to me that there are some similar aspects to the performance you and I are playing together. We'll be performing together while projecting images of Paik that date back to the 1960s. You and I certainly come from different backgrounds. We are slightly separated in age (I was born in 1964). In any case, does that point about crossing time and space have any resonance for you?
Ryuichi: That reminds me that last year was the 100th anniversary of birth of John Cage who was obviously Nam June's biggest mentor, and also it was the 80th anniversary of Nam June's birth. They were 20 years apart and I and Nam June are 20 years apart (I was born in 1952). I don't know if that means anything...
Visit the blog for the full interview
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Sunday, April 14, 2013
McEvoy Auditorium, Lower Level
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Symposium: 1-4 p.m.Join five of the most prominent Nam June Paik scholars and artists who worked with him for an in-depth look at Paik's creative genius and artistic legacy.
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John G. Hanhardt, senior curator, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Nam June Paik: Performing the Moving Image 1959-1970
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Edith Decker-Phillips, scholar and author of Paik Video From A-Music to TV Buddha
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Gregory Zinman, moving image scholar and post-doctoral fellow Analog Circuit Palettes, Cathode Ray Canvases: Nam June Paik's Intermedial Painting
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Jud Yalkut, visual and film artist, The Mutability of Media: Film and the Art of Nam June Paik
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Stephen Vitiello, electronic musician and media artist, Paik's Music
Gallery Talk: 4:30 p.m.Associate Curator Michael Mansfield leads a talk in the exhibition Nam June Paik: Global Visionary.
Break: 5:30-6:30 p.m.
Strange Music for Nam June Paik: 7 p.m.
A performance of Nam June Paik's film and music, selected by musicians and composers who knew him well: Ryuichi Sakamoto; Academy and Grammy Award-winning composer, Stephen Vitiello, electronic musician and media artist, and Steina Vasulka, video artist.
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Smithsonian American Art Museum
P.O. Box 37012
Washington, D.C. 20013
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