Video artists being at the low end of the totem pole economically, one of the ways we survive is to go around showing work and giving these talks.
Bill ViolaSince the time of St. Jerome, it was mandatory for any kind of scholar or thinker to spend time out in the desert in solitude. It's no coincidence that the desert has been a major part of the visionary or mystical experience from the beginning of time.
Bill ViolaI don't believe in originality in art. I think we exist on this earth to inspire each other, through our actions, through our deeds, and through who we are. We're always borrowing.
Bill ViolaBecause we live in an industrialized, fast-paced world that prefers that the soul remain asleep.
Bill ViolaThe fundamental aspect of video is not the image, even though you can stand in amazement at what can be done electronically, how images can be manipulated and the really extraordinary creative possibilities. For me the essential basis of video is the movement - something that exists at the moment and changes in the next moment.
Bill Viola