#AP Art History: The Night Before 🌙

Hey! Let's get you totally prepped for tomorrow. We're going to break down two awesome artworks: Bill Viola's The Crossing and Christo and Jeanne-Claude's The Gates. Think of this as your final power-up before the exam. Let's do this!

#Unit 9: Global Contemporary (1980-Present)

This unit is a big deal, so let's make sure we nail it. We'll look at how these artists use different media and ideas to make us think about big stuff.

#The Crossing by Bill Viola

Bill Viola, The Crossing, 1996, video/sound © Bill Viola (photo: stunned, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)

• What is it? A multi-screen video installation. Think of it as a super impactful movie, but in a gallery.
• Themes: 🌊 Life, death, and transformation – heavy stuff, but Viola makes it mesmerizing.
• Visuals:
  • Four large projections of a man and a woman.
  • They emerge from water and walk towards each other.
  • Slow-motion = dreamlike and symbolic.
• Symbolism: Water = spiritual baptism or rebirth. It's like a visual poem about life's journey.
• Sound: Powerful score by Viola himself. It's designed to make you feel the art.
• Where to see it? MoMA (NYC), Hirshhorn (DC), Getty (LA), and more! It's a world traveler.

#The Gates by Christo and Jean-Claude