From: Natasha V. More (flexeon@primenet.com)
Date: Sun Aug 11 1996 - 16:51:07 MDT
I didn't expect such speedy responses to this post -- so I'll give the
address for everyone where you can currently view Bill Viola's installation:
Lannan Foundation Gallery
5401 McConnell Avenue
Los Angeles, CA
Enjoy!
Natasha
>A superb example of technological electronics combined with extropic
>transhuman mythic visuals is exemplified in an instillation by Bill Viola
>entitled _Stations_. Because this work is a traveling exhibition, I thought
>some of you might be interested in viewing it if and when it comes to your
>area. So far, it has been exhibited in Paris, New York, Eindhoven, and
>Stuttgart. (I'm not positive, but it might also be traveling to Madrid and
>Tokyo.)
>
>"_Stations_ is comprised of five channels of video projections, screens,
>granite, and sound. Five cloth screens are suspended from the ceiling of
>the darkened gallery. Large slabs of polished black granite are placed flat
>on the floor at the bottom edge of each screen. Individual human figures
>submerged in water head downward are projected onto each screen. On the
>slick surfaces of granite slabs one sees the righted reflection of the
>slowly moving figures. Underwater sounds fill the gallery space. At random
>intervals the projected figures glide slowly out of the frame, leaving the
>space dark and silent. Suddenly the figures plunge back into view with
>brilliant splash of sound and light, momentarily illuminating the entire
>gallery."
>
>The above-interpretation of the installation is descriptive, but it is even
>more vibrant and symbolic. While entering the gallery space, it is actually
>solid black with only the slightest hint of light which gives a direction to
>follow. The underwater sound is magnificent - reverberating throughout the
>space. The five video screens are impeccably designed and are in exacting
>rectangular shapes from a frontal view and from the side-view appear as very
>thin lines of light (like lasers). The floating bodies are life-size and
>naked, and basically in black and white with only a hint of earth tones in
>the hair of one model. The light is very bright from the video screens, yet
>the bodies float slowly and gracefully. Every now and then a body
>disappears into blackness and then reemerges with a sudden and shocking
>splash - as if being suddenly woken up.
>
>Interpretations of this intentionally poetic and meditative installation are
>varied. Some see the video-screens with suspended bodies as cryonic dewars
>with suspendees. The artist himself states, "There is no single viewing
>angle to the piece, and viewers are free to enter and move about the space
>at will. An initial surface appearance of the eerie, serene beauty ...
>isolated, free-floating bodies evoking an eternal state between dream and
>death."
>
>
>***************************************************************************
>Please email all technical problems to alexboko@umich.edu, not to the list.
>http://www.us.itd.umich.edu/~alexboko/mlist.html is our web site.
>ftp://us.itd.umich.edu/users/alexboko/th/ is our ftp site.
>***************************************************************************
>
>
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 14:35:42 MST