Magnet TV critiques the passive consumption of mass media, media control, and media conditioning by exposing the inner workings of the TV and making the audience an active participant.
Magnet TV
Nam June Paik
1965
Modified black-and-white television set and magnet
Overall: 38 3/4 × 19 1/4 × 24 1/2in. (98.4 × 48.9 × 62.2 cm)
The magnet distorts the cathode-ray image, creating chaotic, abstract patterns that respond to electromagnetic interference. The audience can interact with the sculpture by moving the magnet to alter the image on the TV screen.