Beyond A Band - Ok Go
Love, Ok Go, Youtube, 2025
One shot. No cuts. Just mirrors, robotics, and a whole lot of planning.
The music video absolutely blew my mind. The design, technology, execution, teamwork, and beauty were all phenomenal. And, it is a one-shot take, which is incredibly hard to achieve.
This video inspired me to create something that goes beyond the normal standard of “good”. It is something that establishes its own level of greatness, something unforgettable. OK Go may be a band, but what makes their work extraordinary is how they combine music, creativity, technology, and flawless execution. Every failed attempt leading to that one perfect take reflects immense dedication and collective effort.
Their incorporation of technology also reflects the era we live in. As John Berger suggests, visual art inevitably reflects the values and technologies of its time. This thought motivates me to explore more contemporary materials and methods in my practice, rather than staying only with traditional sculpture mediums like clay and textiles. It’s what led me to incorporate light and sound into my work, which I’ve found to be both playful and emotionally resonant materials. Activating more than one sense transforms a work into a multi-sensory experience, capable of evoking stronger emotional and bodily responses.
They also produced a video showing the process of making this video.
Here is the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EKQKF4qPPI
It was also incredibly enjoyable and insightful to watch how they came up with the concept, found the venue, and executed the entire production. One of the band members explained how he wanted to express the feeling of love and connection with other human beings, using the video as an extension of the song’s emotional core. This approach speaks to the affective framework in art, which focuses on how artistic gestures, movements, sounds, and visuals can evoke and transmit emotions rather than simply represent them. It’s about creating experiences that resonate physically and emotionally with the audience. They create love, joy, awe, or intimacy through sensory and embodied means rather than direct narrative.
On the technical side, their use of 3D modelling during the planning stage ensured that everyone involved shared the same spatial understanding of the project. This collaborative visualization process not only improved coordination but also demonstrated how digital tools can enhance creative teamwork. Watching this made me realize that 3D modelling is a valuable skill to develop, especially when managing larger-scale projects that involve multiple people and interconnected components.
Watching the behind-the-scenes process also reminds me how witnessing creation itself can be deeply affective as well. It makes me think about my growing interest in action painting, where the process is both visible and integral to the final work, allowing viewers to feel connected to the energy and emotion embedded in the act of creation.
This Too Shall Pass, Ok Go, Youtube, 2010.
Another incredible OK Go video that deeply inspires me is “This Too Shall Pass” (2010). It’s hard to believe this was made 15 years ago. They used only physical materials and analogue mechanisms. I’m amazed by their creativity, determination, and sense of play. The visible broken objects, the splattered lab coats, and the messy aftermath reveal how many attempts it took to succeed. Despite the technical complexity, the process seems joyful. That sense of fun amidst difficulty is something I want to bring into my own practice too. The idea that artistic creation can be rigorous, playful, and human all at once.
OK Go. “PMI Behind the Project: The Making of OK Go’s Love Music Video” April 12, 2025. YouTube video, 19:34. Accessed 10 October 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_EKQKF4qPPI
OK Go, “LOVE (Official Video)”, April 12, 2025. YouTube video, 4:22. Accessed 10 October 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz9BRl7DVSM.
OK Go, “This Too Shall Pass – Rube Goldberg Machine version – Official Video” March 1, 2010. YouTube video, 3:53. Accessed 10 October 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qybUFnY7Y8w.
