ideo-art pioneer Bill Viola returns to James Cohan Gallery with his fifth solo exhibition, "Bodies of Light." With the help of cutting-edge technology, Viola creates immersive works of art in which light reigns and time seemingly stands still. In the gallery’s main space, the viewer first encounters Pneuma (1994), a projection of alternating images that envelop the room while white noise plays in the background; surrounded by the images, the viewer comes to interpret them as fleeting memories rather than as recordings of real places and events. Also on display are several works from the artist’s ongoing "Transfiguration" series, which he developed from his celebrated installation Ocean Without a Shore (2007). Here, blurry figures captured in black and white slowly advance through space. As the figures come into focus, they briefly enter a world of color before returning to a colorless state, like spirits caught between life and death. Whether wrestling with the theme of birth or death or human consciousness, Viola continues to explore perception as an avenue to re-creating universal human experiences.
Bill Viola, "Incarnation" (2008). Color high-definition video on plasma display mounted on wall. Performers: Roxanne Steinberg and Oguri, 8:55 min.
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