Orlando Museum of Art to exhibit Bill Viola’s Moving Stillness (Mount Rainier), 1979
The museum was awarded a loan from Art Bridges to bring this immersive experience to Florida.
Orlando – December 1, 2023 — Bill Viola’s Moving Stillness (Mount Rainier), 1979, on loan from Art Bridges, creates an immersive experience. In a darkened room, sounds from nature envelop the viewer as a placid pool of water reflects a projected image of Mount Rainier onto a screen.
The Orlando Museum of Art is proud to once again partner with Art Bridges to bring this work, for the first time, to the state of Florida. The two organizations worked together in 2019, along with the Mennello Museum of American Art, to present the exhibition Edward Steichen: In Exaltation of Flowers. Art Bridges creates and supports programs that expand access to American art across the nation. Moving Stillness (Mount Rainier), 1979 is just one of the works in Art Bridges’ extensive collections which it loans to its partners. As part of the program, funding is provided to cover direct costs associated with exhibitions, as well as educational programming and outreach efforts.
Bill Viola’s work often explores ideas of death and rebirth. Moving Stillness (Mount Rainier), 1979 visualizes nature’s rhythms of renewal, which include moments of both fragility and strength. As an active volcano at rest, Mount Rainier embodies a similar dynamic of both quiet beauty and dramatic violence. Through the periodic disruption of a serenely majestic image, Viola’s work represents these paradoxes. Moving Stillness (Mount Rainier), 1979 symbolizes the changes in nature that occur over the course of time. It invites the viewer to pause and wait in order to encourage contemplation.
“In these tumultuous times, Moving Stillness (Mount Rainier), 1979, provides us with a much-needed space for contemplation, reflection, solace, and calm. Empowering, meaningful, and visually spellbinding, the multi-media installation is also an invitation to meditate over the forces of nature, and ultimately the dormant power and potential within us all. OMA is grateful to Art Bridges for their renewed support and commitment to our institution, by helping bring the best American Art to our community,” says Coralie Claeysen-Gleyzon, Curator and Interim Head of Collections & Exhibitions.
OMA was also awarded a Learning & Engagement Project Grant from Art Bridges for a new program titled Reflections. This free program is designed to serve adult cancer patients and survivors. Sessions include a facilitated discussion about Moving Stillness (Mount Rainier),1979, as well as stimulating conversation related to the cancer journey and personal experiences. Themes will include hope, strength, renewal, transformation, and connections between art, nature, and wellness. Additional activities include reflective journaling, sound therapy, breathwork, movement, and meditation. This four-part series will be led by local yoga teacher Krista Shirley and sound therapist Marian McNair, both with over 20 years of experience in their field. The goal is to bring together cancer patients and survivors, fostering stronger connections and cultivating a support network for those with this shared experience.
Moving Stillness (Mount Rainier), 1979, opens Saturday, December 23, and will be on view through Sunday, May 5, 2024. The Reflections program will take place on the following Saturdays: January 20, February 17, March 16, and April 20.