Inspired by Nam June Paik’s satellite art practiced in the 20th century—which envisioned encounters beyond time and space through the integration of art and technology—this forum explores contemporary art practices and possibilities that transcend cultural boundaries and geographical distances. Co-organized by two art institutions located on opposite sides of the globe—Nam June Paik Art Center and Pinacoteca São Paulo—the forum precedes a joint exhibition scheduled for November 2026 at both venues. Serving as a platform for dialogue, it seeks to foster mutual understanding through discussions of local specificities and transregional values.

Part 1 of the forum sheds light on the history of transnational exchange between Korea and Brazil, tracing a trajectory from migration across continents to the immaterial spread of consciousness through music and video. It highlights the translocal expansion and cultural hybridity shaped by media and pathways of public reception. Furthermore, it explores the power of music and global groove as shared sensory experiences that flow beyond national boundaries. 

Part 2 delves into the imagination and media experimentation within Brazilian contemporary art that resonates with Nam June Paik’s legacy—particularly his satellite art of the 1980s, which connected cities around the world in real time. It examines translocal identities that emerge through the use of diverse languages and media, while also raising questions about how contemporary art reveals the interplay of fear and hope in encounters with the unfamiliar and the new.

Speakers

Doo Bin Im
He completed his Ph.D. in Applied Linguistics at São Paulo State University (Unesp), Brazil, and is currently a professor at the Institute for Iberoamerican Studies and the Department of Portuguese (Brazilian) at Busan University of Foreign Studies (BUFS). He teaches Portuguese and introduces students to the cultures and societies of the Portuguese-speaking world, with a particular focus on Brazil. Since the beginning of this year, he has been serving as the President of the Korean Association of Luso-Brazilian Studies. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the KCI-listed journal Iberoamérica. His main research interest is to record and analyze, with what he terms a 'constructive paranoia,' the unique ways in which Brazilians construct and perceive reality in everyday life, as well as the underlying grammar of their thought. His most recent paper, “The Historical Development and Challenges of Brazil’s Public Cultural Policies”(2024), has been published. In addition to his academic papers, he has translated and published Roberto DaMatta’s O que faz o brasil, Brasil? (Rocco, 1986) in Korean in 2015.

Heekyung Na
Brazilian music transcends cultural boundaries through not only its rhythmic appeal but also its lyrical melodies and rich harmonies. From samba to bossa nova, and from bossa nova to MPB, Brazilian music has continuously expanded and harmoniously blended with various musical genres worldwide, leaving a lasting impact on music history from past to present. The unique sentiment of Saudade embedded in Brazilian music resonates with people from all cultural backgrounds, creating a shared sensibility despite physical distances and language differences. The Brazilian musicians' spirit of embracing innovation while preserving tradition continues to be valued in the contemporary music landscape, showcasing its ongoing potential for expansion. This presentation illuminates the process by which Brazilian music dissolves borders and connects cultures from the perspective of a musician who has directly experienced this phenomenon.

Taewoong Lee
Joined KBS (Korean Broadcasting System) in 2003 as a sports producer and is currently producing documentaries in the Culture and Education Department. In 2014, he spent a month in Brazil covering the FIFA World Cup. He produced 88/18, a documentary marking the 30th anniversary of the Seoul Olympics in 2018, and the 20-episode series Modern Korea, which began in 2019. By utilizing KBS’s extensive historical footage, he has spotlighted key moments in modern Korean history. His works have been invited to the International Film Festival Rotterdam and praised as “valuable projects only public broadcasting can achieve.”

Bookyung Son
Bookyung Son majored in art theory at Hongik University and received his Ph.D. in Art History from Binghamton University, State University of New York. His doctoral research explored the antagonistic dynamics in the Korean reception of Nam June Paik and the initial formation of Korean media art. He contributed to the Korean translations of Critical Terms for Media Studies and Nicolas Bourriaud’s Postproduction. His recent publications include “Binghamton Letter: Nam June Paik at ETC” (2023), “Always Already Intertwined: Elemental Media in Park Hyun-ki’s Video Sculpture” (2023), and “Antagonism in Nam June Paik’s Return to Korea in the 1980s” (2024). As an art historian, his research primarily investigates the trajectories and operations in postwar art, focusing on the culturally specific situations of technology and media environments.

Ana Maria Maia Antunes 
Ana Maria is a researcher, curator, and professor of modern and contemporary art. Since 2019, she has worked at the Pinacoteca de São Paulo, where she currently serves as chief curator. She holds a PhD in Theory, History, and Criticism of Art from the University of São Paulo (2018). She is the author of the books Flávio de Carvalho (Azougue, 2014) and Arte-veículo: intervenções na mídia de massa brasileira (Circuito e Aplicação, 2015), the latter of which was awarded the Critical Production Stimulus Grant by the Brazilian Ministry of Culture. 

Ana Paula Lopes de Assis 
Ana Paula is currently a curatorial assistant at the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo and a faculty member in the Visual Arts program at Santa Marcelina College (SP). Her research focuses on the geopolitical space in curatorial practice, drawing on the work of geographer Milton Santos and the history of exhibitions in Latin America during the 1970s and 1980s. She has worked at the White Cube, Mendes Wood DM, and Jaqueline Martins galleries. She has published texts in Revista Terremoto (Mexico) and Experiências Negras (a digital publication by Instituto Tomie Ohtake). She was the producer of “Paisagens Expandidas,” a solo exhibition by Sandra Mazzini at the Museu Nacional da República (Brasília), coordinated the educational program of the exhibition “Mãe Preta” at Funarte-SP, and served as assistant curator at Instituto Tomie Ohtake. 

biarritzzz 
biarritzzz is an anti-disciplinary transmedia artist who investigates languages, codes and media. She believes that magic and the low resolution are important counter-narratives to live the current cosmological dispute of realities. Has participated in exhibitions at MAM Rio, Museu do Amanhã, Kunsthall Trondheim, State Of Concept Athens, Delfina Foundation, Plataforma Satélite (Pivô Arte e Pesquisa), A.I.R Gallery, Centro Cultural São Paulo, The Wrong Biennale, FILE, The Shed NY, among others. She is part of the collections of MASP, Rhizome Artbase (New Museum), KADIST Foundation, Museu Nacional da República and Instituto Moreira Salles. She was a Pipa Award 2023 and 2024 nominee.

The forum is co-organized by Nam June Paik Art Center and Pinacoteca de São Paulo in partnership with Hyundai Motor, as part of the Hyundai Translocal Series.

Hyundai Translocal Series, a new initiative by Hyundai Motor Company, roots itself in fostering dialogues and exchanges between art institutions in Korea and across the globe. The initiative, aimed to support cross-regional artistic collaborations over the next decade, will bring together art institutions to explore translocal themes that shape our interconnected contemporary conditions. Hyundai Motor will support multi-year endeavors, including joint research, artwork commissions, exhibitions, public programming and publications. The goal is to facilitate long-term relationships among participating institutions, while highlighting how artistic exchanges can encourage diverse perspectives and deepen the breadth of understanding about our times.