Bill Viola – The Raft, May 2004 (excerpt)

What comes to mind at the mention of a raft? Naturally, many people would imagine a large water body. Using a raft to cross over water means desperation and determination to reach the other side. When Bill Viola incorporated this aspect of human struggle into his artwork, people were impressed by the story he was telling.

The Raft tells the story of a group of people comprised of both men and women drawn from diverse economic and ethnic backgrounds. At first, they appear calm as they wait in line but this state of affairs is quickly shifted by a sudden flow of water. Since no one saw it coming, no one is prepared for it – some are knocked over by the force of the water while some try as hard as they can to support their weight and survive. There is water everywhere and the once nice clothes that distinguished the affluent from the poor are no longer attractive. With pummeled bodies and clothes, the cold starts to creep in and the group is hard hit by nature. The faces can tell of the anguish and desperation to survive as the limbs try to grasp at anything that could offer a lifeline. Did nature suddenly have mercy? Just as the water storm had begun, suddenly, it stops. The aftermath is nothing short of freight, suffering and shock.

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