TV-Tulips 2000

Nam June Paik created this set of four TV screens, all showing flowers, in a way that really embraces the fluidity of images. The colours are intense, almost neon – reds, yellows, and greens that pop right out at you. It’s like he’s taken painting and exploded it into the electronic age. Look at the way the images pulse and vibrate; it’s all about the surface, the glow, the sheer physicality of the screen. The pixelated quality almost makes it seem like an abstract painting! That bottom right image really strikes me. The colours are so saturated, the forms almost melt into each other. It’s controlled, but on the edge of chaos. I can't help but think of the way David Hockney used color, that same kind of sun-drenched, optimistic vibe. But Paik’s version is all electricity and light. For me, these pieces are all about the joy of seeing, and the sheer possibility of what art can be.