Throughout his 40-year career Viola has extensively researched and experienced Eastern religions, which he describes as being ‘all about the knower and the known being part of a larger unity’. These concepts have been fundamental within Viola’s practice. The text is a translation from the Quran; it is attributed here to Zia Inayat Khan who is a scholar and teacher of Sufism. Key to this creed – and central to Viola’s art – is the notion of personal and collective transformation.
Produced in the historic RA Schools, the starting point for this etching was a drawing by Viola made in 2006. The circular form, which almost seems to vibrate on the page, is evocative of an eye or viewfinder. As a student at Syracuse University in the early 1970’s, Viola experimented with homemade versions of a camera obscura allowing him to explore this method of image projection which dates back to ancient China.
Each print is numbered in pencil with the artist’s signature blind-embossed.
About Bill Viola Hon RA
For over 40 years, Bill Viola has been making work that explores a series of humanistic and spiritual issues. His video installations – total environments that envelop the viewer in image and sound – employ state-of-the-art technologies and are distinguished by their precision and direct simplicity. Viola uses video to explore the phenomena of sense perception as an avenue to...
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https://shop.royalacademy.org.uk/bodies-of-light-framed29497Bodies of Light (framed)https://shop.royalacademy.org.uk/media/catalog/product/9/2/92087887---bodies-of-light_1.jpg13951395GBPOutOfStock<p>We are proud to present a new limited edition print made in celebration of our current exhibition Bill Viola / Michelangelo: Life, Death, Rebirth.</p>
<p><em>Available now for pre-order and will be available to collect from the Royal Academy of Arts from </em><em>15/04/2019</em></p> <p>Throughout his 40-year career Viola has extensively researched and experienced Eastern religions, which he describes as being ‘all about the knower and the known being part of a larger unity’. These concepts have been fundamental within Viola’s practice. The text is a translation from the Quran; it is attributed here to Zia Inayat Khan who is a scholar and teacher of Sufism. Key to this creed – and central to Viola’s art – is the notion of personal and collective transformation.</p>
<p>Produced in the historic RA Schools, the starting point for this etching was a drawing by Viola made in 2006. The circular form, which almost seems to vibrate on the page, is evocative of an eye or viewfinder. As a student at Syracuse University in the early 1970’s, Viola experimented with homemade versions of a camera obscura allowing him to explore this method of image projection which dates back to ancient China.</p>
<p>Each print is numbered in pencil with the artist’s signature blind-embossed. </p>00add-to-cartartist_name:Bill Viola Hon RAstore_type:ArtBill Viola Hon RAArtEtching62 x 50cmNo40
