NEW YORK, NY.- Fourteen degrees of separation re-actualizes the oral tradition of Greek and Roman Antiquity and connects this old practice with new behaviors emerged from the contemporary technologies and Internet revolution.

Surrounding Paik's iconic robot sculpture, are seven small speakers that broadcast the sound of a deep male voice narrating seven texts. Each text was obtained by translating 14 consecutive times the first verses of Homer’s Odyssey from a language randomly selected to another using a popular online translator; it was then turned into sound with a text-to-speech software.

As the translations progress, the leading lines of the Greek epic text evolve into surrealist poems, slowly disconnecting themselves from the links that bond them to the verses of Homer. The final result embodies seven strings of 14 consecutive translations that all start from the original text of the Odyssey and progressively grow and differentiate from one another as they independently travel online through vernacular differences and cultural relativities.

Faithful to Nam June Paik's approach and use of technologies, Fourteen degrees of separation appropriates and remixes existing cultural elements thru new technologies. Softwares and algorithms have replaced the Greek epic poet, internally processing and transforming the story before passing it onto the audience.

"The Legacy of Nam June Paik in the Post-Digital Era" seeks to commemorate the artist’s contributions and hopes to reignite a new dialogue of critically examining the effects of digital media in our post-modern society.