Five Angels for the Millennium opens with engulfing darkness and gushing sound of water that fills the space, the atmosphere is as if viewers are at the bottom of the ocean, the only illuminations are from five of the massive video projections. The 2001 installation consists of five video sequences, Ascending Angel; Creation Angel; Fire Angel; Birth Angel and Departing Angel, each a continuous loop of a man either plunging into or rising out of the waters at irregular intervals, they were mostly shot underwater, but they were either reversed or upside down. The videos were shown in extreme slow motion, making the water seem thick fluid as it slowly releases or engulfs the angels. There is a buildup to the climax, however the timing of the crash remains unpredictable, entirely arresting, as viewers nervously anticipates the sudden explosion of light and sound ( Arya, 2013 ).
Widely known as one of the most important pioneers of video art, Bill Viola is also referred to as "the Rembrandt of the video age "as he was one of the very first to explore the art of film with a video camera when it first emerged in the 1970s. To Viola, cameras are soul keepers, videos are not only able to capture and record instances permanently that would otherwise fade with time, sleep or memory loss but also able to slow down the relentless change and progression of time. Viola is known for creating highly immersive environment, his installation would often incorporate experimental sound and music in a darkened or barren space to eliminate anything that would divert the viewer's attention and prevent an immersive experience of his artworks.
The installation featuring a man falling into deep blue water where lights could barely penetrate almost seems like a reflection of his personal experience. Viola mentioned in interviews that he had a near death experience when he fell into a lake at the age of six, but instead of fear, he was captivated by what he thought was the most beautiful thing in the world, colourful lights and dancing plants, a different world, a paradise. All these memories would not have resurfaced if it was not for the blue light he saw from the very first camera he had his hands on which reminded him of the waters of the lake. Viola experience as a child have had a major impact on the themes of his artworks subconsciously as water is yet again the main element of the installation like many of his previous and later works, such as Eternal Return (2000), Ascension (2000) and An Ocean Without a Shore (2007).
The thresholds between birth, life and death, are themes Viola often revisited throughout his career. By varying the sequence of events, Viola was able to change the connotation of the piece. The original footage would indubitably show show a man disappearing down the bottom of the pool, yet as Viola spontaneously played around with the structures of the video in post production, by reversing the clips or flipping them upside down, they were given a whole new symbolic. "At every turn an image of death was unconsciously being transformed into an image of birth. I guess," Viola said in an interview, "that that's what art is - turn something upside down and the world changes, and you along with it." ( Gayford, 2003 ). The immersive atmosphere he created, the dark room with the crushing sound of waves and the glow of the dark blue water, could seem overwhelming yet at the same time feel so serene and calm. Art Critic, Christopher Knight compared Viola's installation with Mark Rothko's Houston's Rothko Chapel, stating that if the latter was not a painter but a video artist, the artwork would probably resemble Viola's Five Angel.
The title 'Five Angels for the Millennium' created at the turn of a new millennium and the emergence and submersion of the figures in water would naturally suggest the idea of and comparison with Christianity as this was the only piece installed at the Gasometer in Oberhausen which gave him the sacred feeling of a cathedral. At the same time, according to Viola, water, the main element of the installation is the archetypal image-bearing medium - before glass, before painting, photography or film, a mirror to prehistoric men, yet according to Buddhism, it is merely a reflection one sees, not the real thing ( Gayford, 2003 ). Viola's works evidently have roots in both Eastern and Western art and religious traditions ranging from Zen Buddhism to Islamic Sufism and Christian mysticism ( BILL VIOLA, no date ). The installation was not merely an expression of religion, but focus on the spiritual nature of human beings he believes everyone inhabits, the elemental experiences just like birth, life and death, in the form of videos that preserve these moments forever.
Bill Viola is one of the most prominent figures alongside Nam June Paik, Peter Campus and other early video artists, who have created multiple groundbreaking artworks in the contemporary art world and influenced many others. Five Angels for the millennium incorporated the contemporary elements of technology, experimental sound and visuals, nonetheless the presence spiritual and religious that dominated most traditional arts echoes in this phenomenal work of art. The five angels conjure the feeling of awe and mystery, a reflection of one's inner world, at the same time so otherworldly and untouchable.
Reference
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