Bill Viola (USA)

Bill Viola (1951–2024) was born in New York and graduated from Syracuse University in 1973. A pioneer in the fields of new media, video, and installation art, Viola created visionary installations as immersive spaces of video and sound, focusing on the fundamental human experiences of birth, death, and the evolution of consciousness. A recurring theme across his work was his contemplation of light as the primary element of life.

His professional career, spanning over 50 years, included countless exhibitions and projects in the world’s most prestigious museums, galleries, and art festivals, as well as architectural commissions. Viola received numerous awards, including the MacArthur Foundation Fellowship (1989), the Skowhegan Medal (1993), the XXI Catalonia International Prize (2009), the Praemium Imperiale from the Japan Art Association (2011), and became an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Arts (2017).