Living with Living Theater
In January 2025, Nam June Paik Art Center screens Living with Living Theater. Created by Nam June Paik in collaboration with Betty Core and Paul Guerin, the film follows the lives of Julian Beck and Judith Malina, founders of the Living Theater, a company that was at the forefront of new and experimental performance in the American theater scene. The film opens with Julian Beck's words, “Love is the best thing we’ve got.” Although we are conditioned to fear each other in a competitive society, the couple's pursuit of a life that defies convention and stands up for vulnerability connects to Nam June Paik's message of world peace.
The video fast-forwards through archival footage of the Living Theater's problematic works The Brig and Frankenstein, followed by a conversation between the couple about parenting and housework, a performance of Paik's Robot K-456 accident, and footage of Julian Beck's funeral. The video then shows Julian Beck and Judith Malina being interviewed about their children's education, with their children looking on happily. Through the footage of Julian Beck, who has already passed away, and the interviews of his children, we see Paik's unique approach to memorializing a person's life.
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Living with Living Theater
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Living with Living Theater
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Living with Living Theater
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Living with Living Theater
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Living with Living Theater
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Living with Living Theater
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Living with Living Theater
Living with the Living Theatre