Thierry Kuntzel and Bill Viola duo exhibition at Le Fresnoy

Le Fresnoy in Tourcoing hosted a duo exhibition of Thierry Kuntzel and Bill Viola from February 27 to April 25, 2010. The two artists were close friends, and Kuntzel's death in 2007 gave the show a poignant resonance. Curated by Raymond Bellour and Viola himself, the exhibition featured a cruciform scenography by Christophe Boulanger that preserved each artist's identity while highlighting convergences. Key works included Kuntzel's 'La Peau,' a major installation-film using a PhotoMobile projector and a curved screen, and Viola's 'He Weeps for You' (1976), where a live spectator is filmed through a water droplet. Four video projections complemented these installations: 'Time Smoking a Picture' and 'Reasons for Knocking at an Empty House' show each artist in enclosed spaces, while 'The Reflecting Pool' and 'Echolalia' explore bodily appearance and transformation. The scenography echoed the cinematic devices of both video artists, and the slow, stretched temporality of their works created a sense of suspense and reflection on time and space.