Photography by Edward C. Robison III
John Cage Robot II
Notice the objects in the robot’s basket: some chess pieces, books on Zen Buddhism, and wooden mushrooms. The items in this sculpture represent the various interests of composer John Cage, a longtime friend and close collaborator of Korean artist Nam June Paik. Cage was so influential on Paik’s artistic practice that he identified the year 1957 as 1 B.C. or “Before Cage,” the period in his life before he met the composer.
ArtistNam June Paik
South Korean, 1932 - 2006
Date1995
MediumVintage wood television cabinets, color television receivers, DVD players, multi-channel video, piano keys, piano hammers, piano wire, acrylic paint, basket, books, wood mushrooms, and chessmen
Dimensions108 x 80 x 31 in. (274.3 x 203.2 x 78.7 cm)
Credit LineCrystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas, 2011.17
ClassificationSculpture
Provenanceto (Carl Solway Gallery, Cincinnati, OH), 1998; purchased by Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR, 2011
On ViewNo
This artwork's face covers about 8.0× the area of a standard movie poster.Drawn to the same scale.