In First script for Good Morning, Mr. Orwell (1983), Nam June Paik adapted a performance titled Transatlantic Candle Feedback. The concept was originally designed by Kit Galloway and Sherrie Rabinowitz, involving a candle in front of TV monitor and a camera in Paris would film it and send the footage to New York. There, a camera in New York would record the broadcasted image and send it back to Paris. This entire process would occur simultaneously, creating a fantastic time delayed feedback loop. Paik described this feedback as electronically compressing the distance between Paris and New York to half an inch. He recognized that even the smallest spatial distance within a single image could represent a vast electronic journey of millions of miles.

Notably, Paik referred to this as a “Live science fiction movie.” The phenomenon of thousands of miles being condensed into a minute image seemed magical and extraordinary. Of course, underlying this process was the scientific technology of radio waves reaching satellites in space and arriving at the other side of the Earth. This was indeed magical and extraordinary. Science fiction movies encompass speculative imagination and futuristic visions not yet accepted by mainstream science, portraying fictional representations of technologies that might one day become possible. Vivian Sobchack viewed such science fiction movies as an attempt to reconcile man with the unknown.

As we look forward to ISEA2025, we eagerly anticipate the unveiling of new and innovative science fiction films that will continue to challenge our perceptions of space and expand our imagination on this planet. Paik’s thoughts on the universe are connected to the ‘entanglement’ and ‘relationship’ of contemporary planetary thinking. Paik’s works and writings will serve as an excellent guide in exploring a new relationship between humanity and the universe.

Overview of the Invited Presentation

Shim Sang Young

"I'm Not Okay, Mr. Paik"

Nam June Paik produced three satellite live broadcasts, most famously Good Morning, Mr. Orwell, in his pursuit of global communication and peace through technology. This talk critically examines Paik’s satellite projects, reevaluating their implications in the context of contemporary globalism, accelerated techno-culture, and the challenges of our hyper-connected era.

Shin Won Jung

"Distorted Realities and Media Resistance in Nam June Paik’s Artistic Strategies"

Paik’s practice employed image distortion to question objective reality, resist dominant media discourses, and fragment technological experience. His critical artistic strategies—aimed at dismantling power structures and reshaping perception—remain relevant today and find resonance in contemporary art practices.

Martina Munivrana, Olga Meissen Linn, Dan Oki

"Linking Up: The Poetic Currents of Nam June Paik’s Media Connections"

Nam June Paik continues to influence contemporary media practices through his visionary approach to connectivity and poetic expression. This presentation reexamines Paik’s media strategies from a curatorial perspective, exploring the enduring imaginative potential of his work in linking art, technology, and humanity.

About ISEA

Nam June Paik – Live SF Movie is a special session of the 2025 International Symposium on Electronic Art (ISEA), co-organized in collaboration with the Nam June Paik Art Center.

ISEA is an international, interdisciplinary platform that brings together art, science, and technology through academic presentations, workshops, keynotes, and a range of affiliated programs.

For more information, please visit the official ISEA2025 website: https://isea2025.isea-international.org/