Anima (2000)

Inspired by Renaissance paintings of figures against plain backgrounds, Anima presents a series of panels depicting three people expressing a sequence of emotions: joy, sorrow, anger, and fear. Bill Viola filmed the complete emotional cycle in a single minute. By slowing the footage to 81 minutes and 30 seconds, he eliminates any sense of movement, creating images that resemble still photographs. Through these portraits of anonymous individuals, Viola explores the concept of timelessness and the ever-changing nature of identity.