2. OVERVIEW
Who is BILL VIOLA?
What does he do?
What are his RELEVANT
WORKS?
Why does he do this work?
Why is he RELEVANT?
3. Who is BILL VIOLA?
born January 25, 1951
grew up in Queens, New York
Almost drowned as a child
described experience as without fear, and peaceful
received his BFA in Experimental Studios from
Syracuse University in 1973 where he studied visual art
and electronic music
From 1974-1976, Viola worked as technical director at
Art/Tapes/22, a pioneering video studio in Florence,
Italy where he encountered video artists Nam June
Paik, Bruce Nauman, and Vito Acconci
4. continued
2004, Viola began work on a new production of
Richard Wagner's opera Tristan und Isolde
Has worked as an artist in residence in Japan making
work and learning about zen buddhism
5. WHAT DOES HE DO?
He makes video art
Video installations
Viola relies little on computer editing.
use of extreme slow motion
Variety of shapes and sizes of screens
Performs electronic and avant garde music
6. RELEVANT WORK
The Quintet Series – 2000
Slow motion changing of expressions on faces
Observance – 2002
response to 9/11, gazes in to a camera with grief
The Tristan Project – 2004
Video sequences during performance of Wagner's opera
The Night Journey – 2005
Art game where player explores in the dark
An Ocean Without a Shore – 2007
Bodies as waterfalls, life and death through water
7. WHY DOES HE DO THIS WORK
Draws meaning and inspiration from his deep interest in
mystical traditions, especially Zen Buddhism, Christian
mysticism and Islamic Sufism, often evident in the
transcendental quality of some of his works.
The subject matter and manner of western medieval and
renaissance devotional art have informed his aesthetic
A theme that he constantly explores is dualism, the idea
that you can't understand what you're looking at unless you
know its opposite.
life and death, light and dark, stressed and calm, loud and
quiet, etc
Water as a source of rebirth
8. WHY IS HE RELEVANT?
Took video art in to the contemporary scene
He’s heavily influenced by nam june paik, vito acconci,
and richard wagner
He exemplifies what new media is
