Water, Water, Everywhere

Bill Viola's video installation at St. John the Divine

Subject emerges through water, from black and white

She reaches from color through to black and white for the second subject; her daughter?

They're reunited through the black and white and into color. Unseen: they return once again, turning away from color.

St. John the Divine has transformed itself into a holy place of contemplation, and this time one reflects on The Value of Water: the art of water, the scarcity of water, and the sanctity of water. Dozens of artists are shown together, smattered throughout the far flung chapels and corners, creating a unique convergence of meditation around that compound of hydrogen and oxygen which makes up approximately 60-70% of us. Above, Bill Viola’s video installation rumbles from one corner. In another corner, South African artist William Kentridge shares his take on the precious resource, only his take is the stop-animation that he’s become so famous for. Check it out: it shows until March 25, 2012, so there’s plenty of time. For a longer review, check out Word City Studio, a collaboration between Rachel Aydt and Media Studies faculty member Kathleen Sweeney. Check out her video take on the show at WordCityStudio.com.