Colorful celebrations of art pioneer

The “Olympic Laser Water Screen,” a site-specific laser display by Nam June Paik, is projected onto a water screen made by fountains in the Mongchon moat near the Seoul Olympic Museum of Art in Olympic Park. By Choi Jae-yeong

Several museums in Korea are preparing special shows to celebrate the 80th anniversary of Korean-born artist Nam June Paik (Paik Nam-june)’s birth on July 20. The earliest among them, titled “Nam June Paik Spectrum,” starts tomorrow at the Seoul Olympic Museum of Art in eastern Seoul.

The show features some 70 clips of films and so-called video sculptures, which are signature works by Paik. The video art pioneer passed away in 2006.

The exhibit also displays around 60 of his concept drawings, which are open to the public for the first time, and 110 other works.

One of highlights is the “Olympic Laser Water Screen,” a site-specific laser projected onto a water screen made by fountains in the Mongchon moat near the museum in Olympic Park. The work was made by Paik in 2001 and had been shown for four years. The museum will again display the laser work during the exhibition period everyday except on Mondays at 8:30 p.m. in July, 8 p.m. in August and 7:30 p.m. in September.

By Moon So-young [symoon@joongang.co.kr]

The exhibition runs through Sept. 16. Admission is 3,000 won ($2.60) for adults. The museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and is closed on Mondays. For details, call (02) 425-1077 or visit www.somamuseum.org.