Bill Viola

Bill Viola (b.1951) is internationally recognized as one of today’s leading artists. He has been instrumental in the establishment of video as a vital form of contemporary art, and in so doing has helped to greatly expand its scope in terms of technology, content, and historical reach. For 40 years he has created videotapes, architectural video installations, sound environments, electronic music performances, flat panel video pieces, and works for television broadcast. Viola’s video installations—total environments that envelop the viewer in image and sound—employ state-of-the-art technologies and are distinguished by their precision and direct simplicity. They are shown in museums and galleries worldwide and are found in many distinguished collections. His single channel videotapes have been widely broadcast and presented cinematically, while his writings have been extensively published, and translated for international readers. Viola uses video to explore the phenomena of sense perception as an avenue to self-knowledge. His works focus on universal human experiences—birth, death, the unfolding of consciousness—and have roots in both Eastern and Western art as well as spiritual traditions, including Zen Buddhism, Islamic Sufism, and Christian mysticism. Using the inner language of subjective thoughts and collective memories, his videos communicate to a wide audience, allowing viewers to experience the work directly, and in their own personal way.

http://www.billviola.com/biograph.htm

I looked into Bill Viola's work he has some really powerful deep meaning images. I didn't just look at this particular artist for his work but also the way he presents his work. He presents his images and work on large high definition screens as video installation, this is one way I can keep in mind in which I can present my own work. Video installation is an excellent way to present pieces of work. Audiences can engage and feel the way you desire them too with them also feeling strong emotions towards the subject your show casing. For instance Bill Viola did images called Martyrs, with the four images named Earth, Air, Fire and Water with these images shown on huge screens or projected onto large spaces of building you cant help but feel an influential and forceful power towards these. For me they bring me to religion although I don't believe in any particular religion, but I get the connotations the go to religion. Religion is a powerful and complicated subject that is associated with strong beliefs and strong emotions and if I could even try to emulate them certain emotions and feelings into my work to interact with audiences then I will achieve and be greatly honored with the chosen subjects I present. 


Bill Viola, Martyrs (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), 2014
Executive Producer: Kira Perovhttp://www.billviola.com/http://www.billviola.com/http://www.billviola.com/