A lot of what making art is, is just being open, and empty. And putting yourself in the right place for things to, literally, come together.
Bill ViolaRead
Art is, for me, the process of trying to wake up the soul. Because we live in an industrialized, fast-paced world that prefers that the soul remain asleep.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Art aims to awaken the deeper emotions and consciousness of individuals amidst a busy and automated society.
Bill Viola suggests that art serves as a crucial tool for awakening the human spirit in a world that often prioritizes speed and efficiency over personal depth and emotional connection. In this fast-paced, industrialized environment, where people may become desensitized or disengaged from their inner selves, art becomes a means to stimulate and revive the soul, encouraging a deeper appreciation for life and existence.
Themes
ArtSoulAwakeningEmotionsIndustrializedSociety
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about the importance of creativity in education, you might quote this to highlight the transformative power of art.
More from Bill Viola
All quotes βYou are just as qualified as any expert to make a judgment and have a feeling or a response to any work of art.
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Art has always had as its test in the long term the ability to speak to our innermost selves.
Bill ViolaRead
The 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 ViolaRead
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