Robots and Richard Nixon: The Mind-Bending Video Work of Artist Nam June Paik

Pioneering video and performance artist Nam June Paik made his mark on the art world in the late twentieth century by exploring technology's grips on popular American culture. The Korean artist, who moved to New York City in 1964, even helped developed new technologies, such as an early video synthesizer developed in collaboration with Japanese engineer Shuya Abe. His contributions to the art world ranged from sculptures made of miscellaneous technological equipment, to closed-circuit video loops (one well-known work features a Buddha statue facing both a camera and the resulting video projection). A retrospective of his work is now on view at the Tate Modern. Click through the slideshow to see some of the artist's influential works. View Slideshow Slideshow

Bakelite Robot (2002) is a robotic sculpture made of stacked, vintage Bakelite radios inlaid with television screens.

Image courtesy of Tate Photography. View Slideshow