A current show of Nam June Paik's lovable, sophisticated robots fashioned from vintage TV sets features an early video installation, current video sculptures and prints.
"Alexander Graham Bell," is a robotic effigy of the inventor made from antique TV cabinets modified by Paik's electronic wizardry to flash computer synchronized images related to the telephone. They spin, dissolve and shatter into colorful kaleidoscopes that make the fanciest electronic special effects look like child's play. Conception and craft are impeccable: each contour and knob of his funky found objects is selected for its formal impact. Flickering video imagery makes alluring color compositions, a bit like electronic action painting. The content when you catch it, paints a wry, humorous portrait of Paik's subject. And all the while, the boxes spoof the hypnotic, predigested and propagandistic side of the boob tube.
