Can technology be humanized to help us resist the tyranny of our own devices?
In short: Nam June Paik, a pioneer of electronic art, transformed television sets into anthropomorphic sculptures to challenge our relationship with media. By building a family of robots from obsolete hardware, he forced viewers to confront the rapid evolution of technology and its potential to consume our daily lives.
Nam June Paik, who began his career as a composer of experimental music, became a foundational figure in electronic art by treating television as a medium for sculpture rather than just a broadcast tool. In 1986, he created the Family of Robot series, which used various generations of media hardware to represent different family members. The Art Institute of Chicago’s Baby, one of nine unique sculptures in this series, was constructed using thirteen Samsung monitors, which were considered state-of-the-art equipment in Korea at the time of its assembly.
The sculptures function as a commentary on the rapid obsolescence of technology. By using 1930s radios for the heads of grandparents and newer televisions for the children, Paik created a visual history of twentieth-century hardware. He argued that to truly overcome the influence of technology, one must understand it intimately. His goal was to liberate people from the 'tyranny of TV' by repurposing these devices into decorative, friendly figures that balance nature and innovation.
Paik’s work serves as a critique of how technology can cause a retreat from reality. While the monitors in Baby are now dated, this obsolescence is intentional, highlighting the relentless pace of technological change. By displaying vibrant, artist-created imagery of hearts and planets alongside news excerpts, Paik transformed the passive experience of watching television into an active, artistic engagement, urging viewers to perceive their devices in a new, more humanized form.
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Sources
- Summary by Intellect · source: Family of Robot: Baby
- Also: A Series of Unfortunate Events
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