Page 32 - David Bermant Foundation

nAM June PAik“If you study the piece itself you will see why I hold it in such high regard. It’s the form of a robot sitting at a desk, meaning Howard Wise’s desk, and it contains many personal items from Howard, who besides being my art dealer was my personal friend. I’m proud to be listed under my National Shopping Center category in his Rolodex, along with many major artists of the day. You will see his credit cards, his money wallet, his file bag and many personal, intimate items. Among the more outrageous, reflecting Paik’s sense of humor, is the reproduction of a memo that Howard had made in which he agreed to finance Paik’s interest payments that he was unable to make on his Visa card, provided Paik did not make any more purchases. This was dated October 19, 1985, and then around the side of the piece and possibly faded by the sun, you’ll see a check that apparently had been given to Paik by Barbara Wise, by mistake, a blank check which he filled out from Howard Wise to himself, Nam June Paik, a year later, in the amount of one million and thirty-four dollars. You don’t see Howard’s signature, however.” —DWB“Nam June Paik’s ‘Virtually Wise’ is one of the master works of my collection . . . This piece is an intersecting of my slight career in the art world and Howard Wise’s major career in the art world.” —DWB31