Untitled (Desk) c. 1970

Editor: This is Nam June Paik's "Untitled (Desk)," materials unlisted, here at the Harvard Art Museums. It seems quite austere, almost aggressively simple. What do you see in this piece beyond a repurposed wooden structure? Curator: I see Paik challenging our notions of functionality and labor, the desk as a symbol of productivity deconstructed. How does it speak to the experience of the working class and the societal expectations placed upon them? Editor: I hadn't considered it in that light, but it does seem to question the conventional purpose of a desk. Curator: Exactly. Think about how Paik's work consistently questions the role of technology and its impact on society. Can this desk, stripped of its typical function, be seen as a commentary on the obsolescence of traditional labor in the face of technological advancement? Editor: That makes me think about the desk as a relic, its usefulness fading. Thanks for expanding my understanding. Curator: My pleasure. Art allows us to interrogate power structures and question the status quo.