Taken by Manfred Montwé, this photograph shows Nam June Paik’s first solo show, Exposition of Music — Electronic Television held at Galerie Parnass, Wuppertal, in March 1963. Part of the exhibition displayed four prepared pianos named Klavier Intégral. On two of the pianos, various objects were suspended, stuck, and nailed, all tangled with electric cables. Visitors were invited to play the piano freely. When the keys were pressed, one could hear a strange sound or find that the action of playing the piano turned on a lamp, a siren, a ventilator, or a radio in the room. The photograph shows the gallery owner Rolf Jährling operating the piano. Architect Jährling opened Galerie Parnass at his architecture office in 1949 and organized more than 160 exhibitions and concerts until 1965, especially Fluxus actions and happenings of the early 1960s.
- Artist
- Manfred Montwé
- Date
- 1963
- Classifications
- photography
- Medium
- black & white photograph on baryta paper
- Dimensions
- 30.4×40.2cm
- Collection No
- 123
- Note
Nam June Paik (artist); Rolf Jährling