Missa of Zen (1967)
In Missa of Zen, a TV screen, filmed from an extremely oblique angle, appears as a ghostly, flickering sliver at the side of a darkened frame. The images playing across its surface are rendered abstract by the perspective: we witness the transmission of information, but at a great distance. Isolated in silence and darkness, the television set slips into the realm of the unheimlich — an uncanny object, at once familiar and unfamiliar. Situating mediated America at the crossroads of missa — Latin for the Christian mass — and Zen Buddhism, Paik highlights the connections between mass culture and the transcendental.
Director: Nam June Paik, Jud Yalkut
Runtime: 3 min
Release Date: January 1, 1967
Original Language: en
More Films by Director: Nam June Paik, Jud Yalkut
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is Missa of Zen about?
- In Missa of Zen, a TV screen, filmed from an extremely oblique angle, appears as a ghostly, flickering sliver at the side of a darkened frame. The images playing across its surface are rendered abstract by the perspective: we witness the transmission of information, but at a great distance. Isolated in silence and darkness, the television set slips into the realm of the unheimlich — an uncanny object, at once familiar and unfamiliar. Situating mediated America at the crossroads of missa — Latin for the Christian mass — and Zen Buddhism, Paik highlights the connections between mass culture and the transcendental.
- Who directed Missa of Zen?
- Missa of Zen was directed by Nam June Paik, Jud Yalkut.
- How long is Missa of Zen?
- Missa of Zen has a runtime of 3m (3 minutes).