Bill Viola

Bill Viola is recognized as one of the leading video artists. He has created
videotapes, architectural video installations, sound environments, electronic
music performances, and works for television broadcast. His video installations
use environments that draw the viewer in image and sound employ state-of-theart technologies and are famous for their detailed simplicity. His single channel
videotapes have been broadcasted and displayed around the world in cinemas,
while his writings have been published and anthologized for international
readers. His works is described to focus on universal human experiencesbirth,
death, the unfolding of consciousness.
His work showing a baby and death could be narrative because it shows the
story of someones life but I argue that the video is more abstract and surreal
because there is no real story.
His video installations are quite simple, usually a dark room with the focus on the
videos. He usually plays a few videos at the same time. One in particular was a
projection of the sea on a white wall in the room with a desk in front with various
homely items like a flower vase, a notebook, etc, to make people feel as though
they were sat at home watching the sea or to be able to visualise living near the
sea and looking out and seeing it. This is a non-narrative because it doesnt tell a
story; it is more in the form of abstract art.