Bill Viola: Moving Stillness
Moving Stillness: Mount Rainier 1979 offers a mesmerizing exploration of nature’s cycles of renewal, enveloping viewers in a contemplative and transformative experience.
Bill Viola (American, 1951–2024). Moving Stillness: Mount Rainier, 1979, 1979. Color videotape playback with rear projection reflected off a pool of water onto a suspended screen, in a large, dark room, water disturbed by hand at intervals, and amplified stereo sound: 8 in. × 10 ft. × 20 ft. On loan from Art Bridges. Photo: Kira Perov.
A pioneer of video and installation art, Bill Viola (1951–2024) was renowned for creating immersive environments that delve into profound themes of death, rebirth, fragility, and strength. Moving Stillness: Mount Rainier 1979 is a mesmerizing exploration of nature’s cycles of renewal, enveloping viewers in a contemplative and transformative experience.
Set against the backdrop of Mount Rainier, an active volcano in Washington State, Viola’s work captures the dual nature of this majestic landscape—its serene beauty juxtaposed with the latent power for sudden, violent change. Shown in a darkened room, the installation features a calm pool of water reflecting a projected video of the mountain, accompanied by an immersive soundscape.
Viola often used time and disruption as tools to alter viewers’ perception of reality. In this piece, it may take a moment to realize that the landscape is a video, not a still photograph. The tranquil surface of the water is periodically disturbed, causing the image to fragment into its component red, green, and blue colors before gradually reassembling as the water settles. Viola described such installations as “visual poems” and “allegories in the language of subjective perception.” In fleeting moments, his work captures both raw beauty and spiritual depth, presenting a poignant reflection on nature’s ultimate supremacy over humanity.
Exhibitions are made possible by assistance provided by the County of Westchester.
Generous support for Bill Viola: Moving Stillness is provided by Art Bridges.
The Teaching Artist-in-Residence for Bill Viola: Moving Stillness is Rachael Guma. Learn more about the Residency Program here.
Selected views
Bill Viola (American, 1951–2024). Moving Stillness: Mount Rainier, 1979, 1979. Color videotape playback with rear projection reflected off a pool of water onto a suspended screen, in a large, dark room, water disturbed by hand at intervals, and amplified stereo sound: 8 in. × 10 ft. × 20 ft. On loan from Art Bridges. Photo: Kira Perov.
Bill Viola (American, 1951–2024). Moving Stillness: Mount Rainier, 1979, 1979. Color videotape playback with rear projection reflected off a pool of water onto a suspended screen, in a large, dark room, water disturbed by hand at intervals, and amplified stereo sound: 8 in. × 10 ft. × 20 ft. On loan from Art Bridges. Photo: Kira Perov.
Bill Viola (American, 1951–2024). Moving Stillness: Mount Rainier, 1979, 1979. Color videotape playback with rear projection reflected off a pool of water onto a suspended screen, in a large, dark room, water disturbed by hand at intervals, and amplified stereo sound: 8 in. × 10 ft. × 20 ft. On loan from Art Bridges. Photo: Kira Perov.
Bill Viola (American, 1951–2024). Moving Stillness: Mount Rainier, 1979, 1979. Color videotape playback with rear projection reflected off a pool of water onto a suspended screen, in a large, dark room, water disturbed by hand at intervals, and amplified stereo sound: 8 in. × 10 ft. × 20 ft. On loan from Art Bridges. Photo: Kira Perov.
