Wrap Around the World

Created for the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Wrap Around the World is a video-planetary collage by video art pioneer Nam June Paik. Broadcast simultaneously in over eight countries, the work functions as a global channel-surfing experience, where images from diverse cultures, performances, and media icons collide in a frenetic flow. Among the various presentations—from Merce Cunningham to the Vienna Art Orchestra, including a Russian jazz band, a Chinese pop group, an elephant football match in Thailand, and a car race in Ireland—David Bowie stands out. The musician appears with the group La La La Human Steps and engages in a satellite conversation with Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto