Installation view of Bill Viola: The Journey of the Soul, Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow, 2021. Photo: Alexander Gulinov

Artist: 빌 비올라(Bill Viola)
Exhibition Dates: March 2 – May 30, 2021 
Exhibition Venue: Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow
Website: https://pushkinmuseum.art/events/archive/2020/exhibitions/viola/index.php?lang=en

Bill Viola’s first major solo exhibition in Russia, titled Bill Viola: The Journey of the Soul, is currently on view at the Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow, through May 30, 2021. As the museum’s first exhibition showcasing media art throughout its history of more than a century, the presentation showcases an ambitious body of twenty representative works created between 2000 and 2014, demonstrating Viola’s crucial role in developing video art as a prominent genre of contemporary art. 

Internationally acclaimed for his multidisciplinary practice encompassing single-channel videos, installations integrating visuals and sound, and monumental media art collaborations with operas and concerts, Viola celebrates his encounter with the Russian public by introducing signature works including Fire Woman (2005), Catherine’s Room (2001), and The Quintet of the Astonished (2000), which mark the epitome of his four-decade-long career. The artist’s videos, which work as a metaphor for the essence of human nature, birth and death, and spiritual growth, at times reveal the influence of religion on art, evoking a motley range of sentiments from the viewer. Curated in order for visitors to first engage with works from the Mirage, Passions (2000-2002), Martyrs (2014), Water Portraits (2013), Transfigurations (2007-2008) series, then proceed to view the medieval and Renaissance works from the museum’s permanent collection, the exhibition fosters a comprehensive understanding of Viola’s working process and artistic journey. Meanwhile, the exhibition is held as part of the “Pushkin Museum XXI” project, which brings together classical tradition and contemporary practice, suggesting a new perspective on art for today’s audiences.