Video art -- that amorphous, ill-defined, ubiquitous beast of the art world -- is blessed with the presence of pioneer Bill Viola. He is one of the few contemporary Video artists who explores the medium both conceptually and sensually, rather than...
[more]Video art -- that amorphous, ill-defined, ubiquitous beast of the art world -- is blessed with the presence of pioneer Bill Viola. He is one of the few contemporary Video artists who explores the medium both conceptually and sensually, rather than using it as a narrative document or film substitute. Through dramatic use of space, his installations function less as concrete works and more like enveloping, temporal environments aimed at creating visceral experiences for the viewer -- sort of like Happenings with a rewind button.
Viola explores all the thematic "biggies": changing concepts of time and space, life and death, nature and culture, the material and the spiritual. One of his seamless pieces, "The Greeting" (1995), transfixes viewers with its revival of a vivid, palpable scene from a David painting -- only this time, the subjects can actually move and converse. There's an additional twist: Viola radically slows down the motions of the three women, endowing each gesture with mesmerizing hyper-significance.
"The Crossing" (1996), one of Viola's most renowned works, is an exploration of transience. The piece features Viola emerging from a black void, growing larger as he walks towards the camera. When he finally stops, he suddenly bursts into flames. The video begins again, repeating Viola's approach but this time depicting him being crushed by a torrent of water from above. Solid, material existence is destroyed by violent elemental forces, making life seem fragile, ephemeral, and transient. At the same time, the repetition in the piece suggests rebirth, growth, and development. Clearly, Viola doesn't bother to conceal his themes with enigmas -- everything is more or less explicit. However, thematic intentions are not the priority; the enveloping experience informs the work's meaning.
Viola's "He Weeps for You" (1976) features a tight shot of a drop of water, which leaks slowly from a spigot onto an amplified drum head, suddenly startling viewers with the improbably huge sound of its collision. Viola exaggerates the force of the tear in order to evoke emotional intensity. While some accuse him of being didactic and obvious, his work comes from a deeply personal place -- his technical feats and experimentation are infused with a unique sense of feeling.
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