Computer Opera: Soundtrack to Revolution

Nam June Paik (1932-2006), the Korean-born composer, performance artist, painter, pianist and writer is the acknowledged grandfather of video art.

Smithsonian Magazine recently published an article detailing former-Smithsonian post-doctoral fellow Gregory Zinman’s discovery of a computer opera amongst the Nam June Paik archive.

Nam June Paik was a Korean-American artist whose work has deeply impacted media culture and the relationship between technology and art. This find is among many notable pieces uncovered that demonstrates Paik’s ability to transform unexpected mediums, most notably video, into art.

On April 24th the computer opera and many other whimsical works will debut at Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM) in an exhibit entitled “Watch This! Revelations in Media Art.”

To read more about this exciting discovery, click here!