Opening Exhibition at the River Gallery

The River Gallery is a newly opened art gallery by the river in Mosman, Sydney. The River Gallery is designed specifically for aqueous art works. Its first exhibition 'Passing Realms' exhibits the work of two artists, the well-known Bill Viola and the sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor. This exhibition explores life and its emergence into death. This life cycle is continuous and ever changing.Artists Bill Viola and Jason deCaires Taylor's artwork may exploit different visual language techniques but find mutuality in their exploration of these strong human connections. Their artwork reiterates the concept of emergence through the merging of birth into death.

Bill Viola's exhibiting works

Bill Viola is a leading contemporary video artist. His artwork often focuses on essential human experiences such as death and birth, ‘His work addresses the big questions: mind, perception, reality, meaning, purpose, the soul, death, transcendence…Viola can present images of strange beauty – a beauty some viewers find excruciating.’ (Freeland, 2004). Many of his artworks are characteristic of the merging of life into death, such as the piece ‘Heaven and Earth’, in which two video monitors face each other; an old woman on her deathbed on one and a newborn baby on the other. The juxtaposition of these two videos, reflecting on to the screen of the other, is evocative of the cycle of life and death and the gap between the spiritual and the material. The symmetry of the arranged screens suggests balance and fragility. Similarly, the piece ‘Five Angels for the Millennium’ accentuates the succession of life and death. Viola says of the creation process for ‘Five Angels for the Millennium’, ‘ I had inadvertently created images of ascension, from death to birth.' (Viola, 2003). This art piece incorporates five large projections of a figure plunging into water, altered five times which work in perfect unity. Viola filmed a drowning man, after the trauma of losing his father.  Yet it was not until later that he decided to alter the video to represent not only death but birth. Each sequence is slowed down, then extended or accelerated, and programed so that the sound of the splash would be amplified. Claude Barbe suggests, 'They erupt out of water into rendered air, then disappear with noisy crescendos; or are drawn into the depths of watery churnings and dissipate with a roar.' (Barbe, p 350, 2005). Sprays of water form around the figures like wings, hence Viola's reference to angels. The first installation is the 'Ascending Angel', which pictures a figure floating upwards, breaking through the bubbling surface and floating heavenwards. This angel represents the soul leaving the body after death. Adjacent to this is the 'Creation Angel', in which the figure is seen with outstretched arms, suggesting the crucifixion of Christ, one of the most famous deaths in history. Viola often uses religious iconography in his work to depict meaning. The dramatic 'Fire Angel' contrasts the other videos as the figure erupts through blood red water. The deep colours make the figure stand apart from the rest. The blood red ocean is usually associated with death and intense emotions associated with death and birth. The 'Birth Angel', in which a figure shoots upwards through its frame, represents a being arriving in the world. Juxtaposed to this figure is the final 'Departing Angel', which pictures a figure falling into the water's depths. After crossing the barrier, the sinking, lifeless figure slowly falls into death. These 'Angels' beautifully represent life merging into death, and the rituals and emotions associated with this. Another important element to these sequences, apart from the visuals, are the dynamic sounds the form meaning to the pieces. The bodies are accompanied with a resonant crash; a hyper slow, amplified impact of when one dives into water. This immersive and reverberant soundscape, accompanied with the rippling and sparking of the watery surface create a powerful yet tranquil impact on the viewer. Viola's 'Angels' emergence from water are representative of differing meanings in themselves, yet together form the cycle of life and death.In the River Gallery's opening exhibition, 'Passing Realms', Viola's 'Angels' will capture and confront people with these intense experiences of delving into death.

'Heaven and Earth' screens reflecting on one another 

Five Angels for the millennium

 

Departing Angel

Creation Angel

Birth Angel

Fire Angel

Ascending Angel

Jason deCaires Taylor's exhibiting works

Jason deCaires Taylor is sculptor and award winning underwater photographer who specialises in the creation of contemporary underwater sculptures which over time develop into artificial coral reefs. 'As time passes the work change, they reshape and redefine the underwater landscape in unpredictable ways.' (Golding, 2008). Taylor's art work is exemplary of life and it's emergence into death, and the ever changing cycle this presents. As the coral reefs are subject to environmental change and have dissipated, Taylor's sculptures have helped to bring the rebirth of these coral reefs in many parts of the world. The sculptures provide a solid base on which coral can attach itself and grow. These rock sculptures are an underwater gallery for divers. His body of work, La Evolucion Silenciosa (The Silent Evolution), shows clearly the life cycle through not only the flourishing coral reef, but the many forms of people. Endeavouring to plant the sculptures off the western coast Isla Mujeres in Mexico, 'The project itself evolved with his artistic desire to incorporate the local community.' (Underwater Wonderland, 2010). As the exhibition displays an evolution of Mexican society, it will also display the evolution of nature. True to its name, 'it’s an installation that -- like the evolution of a culture -- will continually transform over time.' (Underwater Wonderland, 2010). Taylor's medium consists of a specially mixed cement, that encourages the growth of coral and can withstand the oceans strong currents.  One sculpture, a very pregnant tribal lady, appears to have stepped out of the past. Standing next to her, is a young girl from the present, holding a hand bag and smiling towards the sky.This juxtaposition of the two figures represents the ever evolving state of human beings. Next to these figures stands an old man representing past peoples, those that have passed onto death. This arrangement of past and present sculptures seems to communicate this cycle of life. The ocean is symbolic of spirituality and life. The faded bluey tones suggest the sculptures are corpses. Yet, as reefs begin to attach themselves and splash bright and colourful hues onto the sculptures, they take on a new meaning. The scultptures are given life.Therefore, the significane of the figures being underwater, other than for the formation of coral reefs, is to represent humans spiritual journey through life, until death.Also, the death and birth of new reef growths on these sculptures accompanies this essence. National Geographic explains Taylor's aquatic works' "The Silent Evolution" won't ever really be finished, since marine life will continue adding its own touches for centuries. ('Bodies' fill underwater sculpture park, 2011). This is what is unique about Taylor's underwater sculptures, nature creates the very essence that his work strives to communicate to the viewer.The River Gallery's opening expedition of Jason deCaires Taylor's artwork, in 'Passing Realms', will encapsulate the viewer as they connect to the works on, not only a visual level but, a spiritual level.



Bibliography

Barbe, C. (2005), 'Journal of Religion and Faith', Vol 4, No.3, pg.350, http://www.jstor.org/stable/27512878?seq=2

'"Bodies" Fill Underwater Sculpture Park', Daily News - National Geographic, http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2011/01/pictures/110105-underwater-sculpture-park-garden-cancun-mexico-caribbean-pictures-photos-science/#/underwater-sculpture-park-cancun-mexico-kneeling_30888_600x450.jpg (18/8/11)

Freeland, C. (2004), 'The Art of Bill Viola', Thames and Hudson, UK, London

Golding, P. 'Cicle of Life', Diver Magazine, (Jan 2008), http://www.divermag.com/v2/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=70

'Underwater Wonderland', Art Appraisal - Mutual Art, http://www.mutualart.com/OpenArticle/UnderwaterWonderland--The-Deep-Sea-Art-o/FEC324CD21AE0EB4?utm_source=newsletter_p&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=nl_artfocus (20/8/11)

Viola, B. (2003), 'Five Angels', Tate Magazine, Issue 6, http://www.tate.org.uk/magazine/issue6/fiveangels.htm

'The silent evolution' a very large amount of sculptures

Different underwater figures

Up close of the young girl with handbag

A diver visits the underwater museum 

The pregnant mother and young girl shown together

Images of the people that sculptures were based off

How his sculptures were formed