The Korean American artist Nam June Paik coined the term “information superhighway” in 1974 and even seemed to foresee the internet: “If you create electronic highways,” he said, “something has to happen.” And something did. But Paik was already making things happen with midcentury technology—old radios, TV screens, neon tubing, video imagery. Giant toys for abstract thinkers, Paik’s art still intrigues. A major retrospective! —L.J.

Nam June Paik: The Future is Now was featured in the October 19, 2019 issue of Air Mail. Read on