Auckland Castle in County Durham, the former palace of the Bishops of Durham and one of Britain's most important historical sites, is presenting an exhibition of four works by the celebrated video artist Bill Viola. The works have been installed above the altar of the largest private chapel in Europe, the historic 17th century St. Peter’s Chapel, which this year celebrates the 350th anniversary of the chapel’s consecration in 1665.Derived from Viola’s large-scale video installation, Martyrs (Earth, Air, Fire, Water), “Earth Martyr,” “Air Martyr,” “Fire Martyr,” and “Water Martyr” engage with themes common to the universal human experience including suffering, sacrifice, and the concept of personal martyrdom, exemplifying what the artist describes as “the human capacity to bear pain, hardship, and even death in order to remain faithful to their values, beliefs, and principles.”St. Peter’s Chapel is a highly suitable location to exhibit the work of Viola whose primary influences include both Eastern and Western art, as well as spiritual traditions including Zen Buddhism, Islamic Sufism, and Christian mysticism, which he draws upon to create video works that “explore the phenomena of sense perception as an avenue to self-knowledge” and focus on the universal human experiences of birth, death, and the unfolding of consciousness.Bill Viola at St. Peter’s Chapel is the first exhibition by a contemporary artist to be hosted at the Castle and is the inaugural event in the wider £60m development plan to transform one of Britain's most important historical sites into a major new art and heritage destination for the UK. Opening in 2018, the Castle will create a permanent national exhibit dedicated to exploring the shared and diverse history of Faith across the British Isles.Dr Chris Ferguson, Auckland Castle’s Curatorial and Exhibition Director, said: “Bill Viola has created deeply moving and challenging works within Christian sites over the last two decades. Installations at Durham Cathedral and St Paul’s Cathedral have moved viewers within our great national basilicas.“The presentation of Earth Martyr, Air Martyr, Fire Martyr, and Water Martyr within the intimate surrounds of the private St. Peter’s Chapel at Auckland Castle creates a contemplative and personal reflection on the role of faith within our lives today.“The contemporary contemplation on life, death, and afterlife, as well as the true meaning of martyrdom within Viola’s work reflect the deeper narratives we hope to explore within our forthcoming permanent exhibitions of the history of faith in the British Isles.”Earth Martyr, Air Martyr, Fire Martyr and Water Martyr (all 2014) will all be on public display from June 12 until October 26, 2015 at Auckland Castle in County Durham.
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