Bill Viola to undertake commission for St Paul's

10 July 2009

Internationally acclaimed artist Bill Viola has been commissioned to create two altarpieces for permanent display in St Paul's Cathedral.

The project will commence production in mid 2009 with completion in early 2011.Bill Viola has been commissioned to create two altarpieces on the themes of Mary and Martyrs. These two multi-screen video installations will be permanently located at the end of the Quire aisles, flanking the High Altar of the Cathedral and the American Memorial Chapel where US Service men and women who gave their lives in the Second World War are commemorated.

Each work will employ an arrangement of multiple plasma screen panels configured in a manner similar to historic altarpieces. The screens will be mounted on hinged panels, allowing them to be closed.

Bill Viola, an acknowledged pioneer in the medium of video art, has for over 35 years created a wide range of video installations at locations across the world from major museums to religious institutions, from royal palaces to universities. Focusing on universal human experiences – life, death and rebirth – the artist's work has roots in both Eastern and Western art. He has been instrumental in establishing video as a important form of contemporary art, and in so doing has helped to expand its scope in terms of technology, content and historical research.

This commission forms part of St Paul's Cathedral Arts Project, an ongoing programme which seeks to explore the encounter between art and faith. Recent projects have included installations by Rebecca Horn, Yoko Ono and Martin Firrell.