Bill Viola

The Sleepers, 1992

© Bill Viola • Photo: Louis Lussier

Bill Viola, The Sleepers, © Bill Viola • Photo: Louis Lussier

© Bill Viola • Photo: Louis Lussier

Bill Viola, The Sleepers, © Bill Viola • Photo: Louis Lussier

© Bill Viola • Photo: Louis Lussier

Bill Viola, The Sleepers, © Bill Viola • Photo: Louis Lussier
Artist
Bill Viola
Title
The Sleepers
Dimensions and medium
7 metal barrels, 7 black and white video monitors, 7 videos, and 385 gallons of water, 1/2, 524 × 584 cm (variable dimensions according to the exhibition space)
Artwork description
Since the early 1970s, Bill Viola has created video installations that explore degrees of human consciousness, the body, and time. His video installation The Sleepers consists of seven metal barrels filled with water. At the bottom of each barrel, a monitor plays a 30-minute video loop of a different person’s sleeping face seen in close-up, filmed in real time. Only the light of the black and white monitors fills the exhibition space, producing a peaceful, inviting blue glow, and a dream-like atmosphere conducive to meditation. As viewers witness the sometimes fitful, sometimes peaceful sleep of these strangers—including one entering his “final sleep”—they are confronted with a familiar yet troubling image, and invited to contemplate their own fragility and finiteness.

See Also

Les Tables de sable III (haute, rouge, rompue), 1995, Plywood, wood, acrylic, lacquer, varnish, sand, and 4 silver prints, 1/1.
Jocelyne Alloucherie, Les Tables de sable III (haute, rouge, rompue), 1995 Les Tables de sable III (haute, rouge, rompue), 1995, Plywood, wood, acrylic, lacquer, varnish, sand, and 4 silver prints, 1/1.
We were in Kyoto, 1997, Boardwalk, wooden structure, plastic, motors, confettis, silk, electrical supplies, and plaster and cement rocks.
Ilya et Emilia Kabakov, We were in Kyoto, 1997 We were in Kyoto, 1997, Boardwalk, wooden structure, plastic, motors, confettis, silk, electrical supplies, and plaster and cement rocks.
La Nativité, 1995, Waxed plaster, wood, wax, and cow hide.
Gilles Mihalcean, La Nativité, 1995 La Nativité, 1995, Waxed plaster, wood, wax, and cow hide.
Liquidity Inc., 2014, HD video, colour, signle-band, sound, 30 min, and architectural structure, 1/7.
Hito Steyerl, Liquidity Inc., 2014 Liquidity Inc., 2014, HD video, colour, signle-band, sound, 30 min, and architectural structure, 1/7.
Sometimes Called Monument, 1988-1989, Wood, glass, 2 clamps, and strip painted on the wall.
Trevor Gould, Sometimes Called Monument, 1988-1989 Sometimes Called Monument, 1988-1989, Wood, glass, 2 clamps, and strip painted on the wall.
still of True North, 2004, 16 mm black and white and colour film transfered on 2 DVDs, 2 screens, sound, 14 min 20 s, 2/6.
Isaac Julien, True North, 2004 still of True North, 2004, 16 mm black and white and colour film transfered on 2 DVDs, 2 screens, sound, 14 min 20 s, 2/6.
L’Écoute, 1992, 2 Cibachrome prints, 5/5.
Barbara Steinman, L’Écoute, 1992 L’Écoute, 1992, 2 Cibachrome prints, 5/5.
still EAST of Soliloquy, 1999, 16 mm colour film transferred on 2 DVDs, 2 screens, sound, 17 min 33 s., 5/6.
Shirin Neshat, Soliloquy, 1999 still EAST of Soliloquy, 1999, 16 mm colour film transferred on 2 DVDs, 2 screens, sound, 17 min 33 s., 5/6.
Factory for a Day, 1996-2008, Various materials, paintings, photographs, videos, and sound.
Tricia Middleton, Factory for a Day, 1996-2008 Factory for a Day, 1996-2008, Various materials, paintings, photographs, videos, and sound.
Home, 1986, Glass, lamp back, painted wood, projector, metal support, and 16mm black and white film, loop, mute, 1 min 10 s.
Wyn Geleynse, Home, 1986 Home, 1986, Glass, lamp back, painted wood, projector, metal support, and 16mm black and white film, loop, mute, 1 min 10 s.
detail of Jumbo Spoons and Big Cake, 2000, Mixed media and various materials.
Thomas Hirschhorn, Jumbo Spoons and Big Cake, 2000 detail of Jumbo Spoons and Big Cake, 2000, Mixed media and various materials.
Dervish, 1993-1995, Wood, aluminum, mirrors, strobe light, motor, 2 video projectors, 2 loudspeakers, computer, electronic controls, software, and videodiscs, 2/2.
Gary Hill, Dervish, 1993-1995 Dervish, 1993-1995, Wood, aluminum, mirrors, strobe light, motor, 2 video projectors, 2 loudspeakers, computer, electronic controls, software, and videodiscs, 2/2.
still of Unwriting, 2010, 4 colour videos, 4-channel projection, sound, 12 min, 1/5.
Nelson Henricks, Unwriting, 2010 still of Unwriting, 2010, 4 colour videos, 4-channel projection, sound, 12 min, 1/5.
still of Exiles of the Shattered Star, 2006, HD video, colour, loop, sound, 29 min 51 s, 5/5.
Kelly Richardson, Exiles of the Shattered Star, 2006 still of Exiles of the Shattered Star, 2006, HD video, colour, loop, sound, 29 min 51 s, 5/5.
Not I/Pas moi, 2006-2007, Diaporama loop projected on a suspended screen of buttons, 2 suspended mirrors, 18 min.
Christine Davis, Not I/Pas moi, 2006-2007 Not I/Pas moi, 2006-2007, Diaporama loop projected on a suspended screen of buttons, 2 suspended mirrors, 18 min.
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