TV Fish (2004) consists of two fish tanks, real goldfish, two TVs, an original DVD from Paik, and a DVD player. In the article from rhizome.org, Carolyn Kane explains how Paik was interested in cybernetics, the theory of animals and machines in their environment. The DVD playing behind the fish tank is almost a direct representation of the real goldfish swimming inside the tank. Therefore, Kane states that, "one gets the sense the goldfish move to the beat of the monitor’s syncopations."
By placing the TV monitors behind the fish tanks, the two worlds of realism and digital representation are fused into one environment. Also, Kane explains that by placing the TV in a non-conventional space, we are now watching the TV and the fish tank in a different way. TVs have been a part of popular culture and Paik uses the placement of the object to bring out several viewpoints of our viewing experience. Paik stated in the Global Groove that, " today, the nature of the environment is much more on TV than on film or painting. In fact, TV (its random movement of tiny electrons) is the environment." Therefore, the TV Fish raises issues of TV viewings becoming more popular than viewing authentic representations.
I felt that the simplicity of the placement and presentation of the TV Fish was successful in making the viewers think about the fusion of the two environments. Paik utilized the TV in many sculptural forms and representations which makes us think of the conventional TV in a new way. The fact that the DVD shows similar movements of the real goldfish now combines our viewing experience when the TV was used more often. Also, it is interesting in that the fish tank contains more natural elements such as the pebbles, water, plants and goldfish while the TV representation does not include as many. Also, the fact that the fish tank is transparent also contributes to the important placement of the TV in which we now view both environments at the same time.
No comments:
Post a Comment