Bill Viola, Fire Woman, 2005
Fire Woman is a video/sound installation created by the artist, Bill Viola. The large scale video installation draws the viewers in with the dramatic video and intriguing audio, forcing the viewer to use their senses as they engage with the installation as an avenue of self-knowledge. The installation creates a total environment that envelops the viewer with the sounds and images. The video shows a large wall of fire with the black silhouette of a woman in the foreground. The woman falls towards the ground which we then see is actually a pool of water, as she falls into the water she creates a splash. The surface layer of the water was disrupted by the woman falling into the pool, this then distorted the reflection of the fire wall on the surface of the water. Bill Viola's work often focuses on universal human experiences such as birth, love, life, and death causing the viewers to experience his work directly in a very personal way.
How do you feel about this transformation of a space by installation? Do you think there should be limits on this type of immersive experience? Why or why not? What challenges do you think this type of work poses for traditional museums/galleries?
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