Artist Research

Bill Viola 

Bill Viola is a contemporary video artist. His work relies on things such as sound, image technology and electronics. The art focuses around central themes of human experiences such as birth, death and consciousness. His videography also focuses around different tones such as light and dark, stressed and calm and loud and quiet. These aspects all collaborate to create a conceptual visual artwork.

TRISTAN'S ASCENSION

This is an example of Bill Viola's vivid artwork. These would be displayed in galleries on large canvases - colour and texture is key for his work. This video has almost religious imagery, it is like an ascension to God, the transition from life to death. I think his work is beautiful as it is so serene and transcendent. Light is a big part of his work and silhouettes focusing on the human form to create an almost godly, superior presence. It is also key to notice that the water is falling in reverse reinforcing that his work is very psychedelic. I would like to take inspiration from Vola's work as the ideologies of water and human form are the same.

'Bill Viola is an artist that developed a work that incites great metaphysical interrogations.'

ACCEPTANCE

This is another of his work. again, there is focus on the human form and of the element of water. This piece of work creates a beautiful light on a a women who is struggling against a constant flow of water. This water could represent the struggles within her own life. It is a very powerful video as we witness her not struggling anymore as the water's flow slows down.

I can apply this to my own video by using props such as a bucket of water to represent the drowning aspects within the song and from Bill Viola's representation. This could also lead on to different factors to do with nature and earth. This has inspired an idea to input every element (fire, water, air, earth) to coincide with the nature of the human form. This can also be very spiritual and could therefore present two sides to the abstract video. The mundane side and then synced with a more spiritual, atmospheric aura. I could also invoke a more literal meaning to my song and have my subject submerged in water.