Untitled 1978

This untitled drawing by Nam June Paik is a little gem of an artwork. It’s made with crayon on paper and feels like a quick, playful sketch. What strikes me about this piece is the repetitive, almost meditative, quality of the marks. Paik draws these boxy, antennaed shapes, each slightly different, some with faces. The crayon is applied with a kind of scribbly energy, layering the colors in a way that creates a surprising depth. I love the way the blue and brown crayons bleed slightly into the paper, creating soft, fuzzy edges. It feels like a visual diary, a record of Paik’s thoughts and ideas. It reminds me of Cy Twombly’s drawings, but with a distinctly electronic, media-savvy twist. Ultimately, this drawing is a reminder that art doesn’t always have to be serious or polished. Sometimes the most powerful works are those that embrace spontaneity and imperfection.