Nam June Paik
Opera Sextronique, 1989
Šilkografija ir dažai ant audinio / Silkscreen on cloth
155 × 280 cm
Edition of 30 + 1 AP
This work is a primary document of one of the most provocative moments in 20th-century avant-garde history. It features the musical score for 'Aria No. 2' from the infamous 1967...
This work is a primary document of one of the most provocative moments in 20th-century avant-garde history. It features the musical score for "Aria No. 2" from the infamous 1967 performance of the same name. During its New York premiere, cellist Charlotte Moorman was arrested mid-performance for "indecent exposure" while performing Paik’s instructions to play in various states of undress.
Through this piece, Paik—widely known as the "father of video art"—sought to challenge the puritanical boundaries of classical music. He argued that while literature and visual arts had long integrated themes of sexuality, music remained artificially "sexless." By introducing the human body as a musical "parameter," Paik triggered a landmark legal battle over artistic freedom and censorship in the United States.
Visually, the work embodies the intermedia philosophy of the Fluxus movement, where musical notation is transformed into a monumental visual object. The raw, handwritten notations, corrections, and fragmented classical melodies reflect a spontaneous, "anti-art" aesthetic. This 1989 edition, published by the renowned Italian patron Francesco Conz, serves as a historical monument to the struggle for creative liberty and is held in major museum collections worldwide.
Through this piece, Paik—widely known as the "father of video art"—sought to challenge the puritanical boundaries of classical music. He argued that while literature and visual arts had long integrated themes of sexuality, music remained artificially "sexless." By introducing the human body as a musical "parameter," Paik triggered a landmark legal battle over artistic freedom and censorship in the United States.
Visually, the work embodies the intermedia philosophy of the Fluxus movement, where musical notation is transformed into a monumental visual object. The raw, handwritten notations, corrections, and fragmented classical melodies reflect a spontaneous, "anti-art" aesthetic. This 1989 edition, published by the renowned Italian patron Francesco Conz, serves as a historical monument to the struggle for creative liberty and is held in major museum collections worldwide.
