Bill Viola, Observance (détail), 2002
Photo : Kira Perov. Courtesy of Bill Viola Studio

Bill Viola.Observance (Version française)

January 27 – April 20, 2008
Opening reception: February 10, 2 pm
Join the Head of Education Programme, Véronique Lefebvre: February 10, at 1:40 pm

This exhibition presents a video by the American artist Bill Viola, which has been incorporated into the religious art works of the permanent exhibition Art sacré du Moyen Âge européen et du Québec. Entitled Observance, the video, which Viola created in 2002, presents a series of figures arriving in single file to a place of refuge located off camera. With tense expressions that fluctuate between sorrow and deep pain, they parade past the visitors, who feel like they themselves are being stared at. This video by Bill Viola comes from a body of work entitled The Passions, which explores the spiritual dimension of the human being and is intended to inspire contemplation and silence. At issue in this series is depicting the soul’s passions of the soul when they arise, and more specifically, the five passions experienced by the disciples of Christ at the time of his death and resurrection: sorrow and pain, as well as anger, fear and ecstasy.

The inclusion of this contemporary work in a gallery devoted to religious art prompts visitors to take a new look at the works of religious art in the Musée d’art de Joliette’s collection, in keeping with the themes suggested by Viola: procession, sorrow and compassion. It also inspires a better understanding of how works of art, throughout the ages, have always had a remarkable capacity to convey human emotions.

Produced by the Musée d’art de Joliette and set up by Gaëtane Verna, the exhibition provides visitors with an opportunity to discover an internationally acclaimed artist. Bill Viola (1951) was one of the pioneers of video art. Today, he continues to create installations that reflect his own philosophical vision of the human condition. He stands out from the new generation of video artists for the spiritual, reflective quality of his work. It is important for Viola to make the spectator an integral part of each of his works.

Viola’s work has appeared in leading museums such as the Museum of Modern Art (New York), the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum (New York), and the J. Paul Getty Museum (Los Angeles).