Nam June Paik

Hybridity

Hybridity is a term used to describe, “conditions in contact zones where different culture connect, merge, intersect and eventually transform,” (Spielmann and Bolter 106). Usually, hybrids are the combinations to achieve greater results. Artists use this method for their works more interesting and dynamic. Nam June Paik (1932-2006) is a perfect example of an artist who uses hybridity to deliver his motives effectively to the viewers. He created the artwork called Marco Polo (1993), which falls under the category of hybridity art. This artwork uses both characteristics of sculpture and video art to represent the important role of Marco Polo’s interaction of West and East. Nam June Paik was born in Korea but he moved to United States and continued his artistic career through travelling. He played a “critical role in the establishment of video as a contemporary art form” (Hanhardt 148). He worked most of the time with videos and televisions and was called “The Father

His video artworks manifest the qualities of hybrid of both sculpture and video performance. Paik arranges the televisions in a certain form to “[restructure] the relationship between TV and the viewer” (Freed 251). He is “one of the few video artists who [dealt] successfully with video as a material object, as a thing in the world” (Freed 250). That is the reason why he is still remembered as one of the great artists who handled hybridity efficiently to achieve and exhibit his intentions in artworks. As one of Paik’s artwork, Marco Polo also consists of sculpture with videos that support the message the artist desired to share. Marco Polo is an artwork that resembles a robot on a car with flowers. There are neon sign, a television, a car and flowers as relevant component parts (Oliva, Gleuck and Restany 129). The red neon signs represent the face and feed of Marco Polo and the six televisions signify his body. The car is