Bill Viola produces brilliant illustrations of movement within water. Above we can see the subject falling then capturing the natural human reaction to the situation given. Lighting has been enhanced to highlight the movement within the water, the oxygen bubbles around the body and also the ripples around the top where the body would have fallen through. The patterns created in the ripples enhance the subject making him much more interesting to view as well as the texture created within the millions of bubbles create a variety of tones and shades of blue which contrasts to the smooth solid black background it's within.
'The Fall into Paradise was recorded under water and the film has been slowed down creating a dreamlike atmosphere.'(Bill Viola. (2005). Bill Viola's 'The Tristan Project' at The Art Gallery of
New South Wales. Available: http://www.artknowledgenews.com/Bill_Violas_The_Tristan_Project.html. Last
accessed 27/02/2012.
) After this was filmed Bill Viola could then slow the action down and reveal frame by frame the movement of bodies and bubbles and which frame creates the most interesting positions and patterns.
This image above has no photo shop manipulation unlike the other image I analysed you can tell this as the detail of the bodies/clothing and features in the water are quite blurry. The angling of this image is also quite interesting, taken from below makes the subjects seem they're swimming up whereas the first image I took is taken straight on to enforce a sinking feeling. Angling is important in water photography dependant on what you want to enforce on the object/subject.
From the research I have undertaken about Bill Viola I have discovered that his main passion is within the media of moving image and cinematography. This explains why the majority of his creations within water capturing the movement.
Bill Viola received his BFA in
Experimental Studios from Syracuse University in 1973 where he studied visual
art and electronic music. During the 1970s
he lived for 18 months in Florence, Italy, as technical director of production
for Art/Tapes/22, one of the first video art studios in Europe. (Bill Viola. (2007). Biography. Available:
http://www.billviola.com/biograph.htm. Last accessed 21/02/2012.)
Over his life time Bill Viola has managed to collect a total of 9 degrees in the area of 'Fine Art'.
Having been given our exam paper with 8 different questions to choose from I finally settled my choice on "Q1, Water" Throughout my projects over my two year course I have always chosen something quite abstract as this has always reflected my personality and interest. However this time I wanted something different to work with. I am still given the opportunity to create unrealistic and abstract images, although this time I can focus my attention on different properties of the image as water is ever changing within matter of state, movement, texture and pattern
Q1. Observations of different aspects of water have inspired many photographers, video makers and artists. The surface qualities of water and the effects of water on an object have been explored in different ways by Ernst Haas, Bill Viola and David Hockney. Look at appropriate examples and produce your own work
