In many ways, Bill Viola's work stands apart from the major body of British video art. Where most British artists have concerned themselves either with deconstructing mass culture iconography or producing intensely personal confessional works, Bill Viola has addressed himself to the universal and the timeless (perhaps sharing the approach of many women artists). Viola brings to bear a deep understanding and total control of the video medium onto grand metaphysical themes, creating a captivating tension between observer and observed, and between image and idea.
Viola's work is built around extremes: extremes of endurance, emotion and environment. 'I do not know what I am like' is an 89 minute epic voyage through shifts in scale, from close up shots of animal's faces to recordings capturing the awesome power of a thunderstorm. To make 'Reasons for Knocking at an Empty House' Viola incarcerated himself for three days without sleep in a abandoned house. 'Hatsu Yume' is a dream-like allegory of life and death using light and water, and Anthem is an often startling juxtaposition of images from our materialist society, from heavy drilling equipment to open heart surgery.
"...even at the shimmering surface a trail of visionary images often takes your breath away", Steven Bode, City Limits magazine.
Programme 1
'Hatsu Yume (first dream)'
'Reasons for Knocking at an Empty House'
'Anthem'
[LESS]In many ways, Bill Viola's work stands apart from the major body of British video art. Where most British artists have concerned themselves either with deconstructing mass culture iconography or producing intensely personal confessional works, Bill Viola has addressed himself to the universal and the timeless (perhaps sharing the approach of many women artists). Viola brings to bear a deep understanding and total control of the video medium onto grand metaphysical themes, creating a captivating tension between observer and observed, and between image and idea.
Viola's work is built around extremes: extremes of endurance, emotion and environment. 'I do not know what I am like' is an 89 minute epic voyage through shifts in scale, from close up shots of animal's faces to recordings capturing the awesome power of a thunderstorm. To make 'Reasons for Knocking at an Empty House' Viola incarcerated himself for three days without sleep in a abandoned house. 'Hatsu Yume' is a dream-like allegory of life and death using light and water, and Anthem is an often startling juxtaposition of images from our materialist society, from heavy drilling equipment to open heart surgery.
"...even at the shimmering surface a trail of visionary images often takes your breath away", Steven Bode, City Limits magazine.
Programme 1
'Hatsu Yume (first dream)'
'Reasons for Knocking at an Empty House'
'Anthem'
