The Three-Year Journey of 'Dadaikseon' Preservation and Restoration Explored Through Books

National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Publishes Conservation and Restoration Record Book of Nam June Paik's

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art announced on the 28th that it will publish a white paper titled ‘1003+1, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Paik Namjun Dadaksun Conservation and Restoration Record,’ documenting the three-year journey of conserving, restoring, and reactivating the media art work ‘Dadaksun’ by the world-renowned artist Paik Namjun.

Reconnected Nam June Paik's 'More the Better' [Image source=Yonhap News]

Along with the publication of the white paper, a research book on Paik Namjun titled ‘My Paik Namjun: Memory, Conservation, Dissemination’ will also be released to promote Paik Namjun’s artistic achievements both domestically and internationally.

‘1003+1, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Paik Namjun Dadaksun Conservation and Restoration Record’ is a white paper documenting the three-year conservation and restoration process of ‘Dadaksun’ conducted by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art from 2020 to 2022. It consists of 1003+1 items spanning approximately 600 pages.

After a detailed diagnosis of 1003 cathode ray tube (CRT) monitors and power units, damaged monitors totaling 737 units were repaired or replaced by sourcing used monitors and parts. For 266 monitors with 6-inch and 10-inch CRTs at the top of the artwork that were no longer usable, the monitors were replaced with new flat-panel displays (LCDs) while maintaining the original monitor exteriors following technical review.

Additionally, power and cooling facilities were replaced to improve the preservation environment of the artwork, and eight video works were digitized and restored for future generations. After completing the conservation treatment, a six-month trial operation of ‘Dadaksun’ was conducted to check the degree of aging of the artwork according to operating hours, and based on the results, future operation plans were established.

Cover of the Dadaikseon research book.
[Photo by National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art]

The white paper will not be sold and will be available in the libraries of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul and Gwacheon. It will also be distributed to domestic art museums, research institutions, and experts in related fields to be utilized for various studies.

The research book features contributions from 11 distinguished domestic and international researchers, including Barbara London, former curator at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York; Saisha Grayson, time-based media curator at the Smithsonian American Art Museum (SAAM); Im San, professor in the Department of Curatorial Studies at Dongduk Women’s University; architect Kim Won, who designed the ‘Dadaksun’ structure; Hannah Holling, honorary associate professor at University College London; Lee Won-gon, media art artist and president of the Korean Society of Basic Formative Arts; Dorcas M?ller, head of the Old Video Systems Research Lab at the Center for Art and Media Karlsruhe (ZKM); Kwon In-cheol, curator at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art responsible for the conservation and restoration of ‘Dadaksun’; Lee Ji-eun, professor in the Department of Art History at Myongji University; Kim Hee-young, professor in the Department of Fine Arts at Kookmin University; and Gregory Jinman, associate professor in the Department of Film and Media at Emory University.