Viola filmed frontal portraits of a total of 44 people aged 16 to 93 from the Boston area, who are all seen as they sit and watch TV. He intended to broadcast these one-minute-long portraits at hourly intervals on the public network WGBH-Boston in the course of several weeks, without providing a prior announcement or any sort of explanation.
The sudden appearance of these unannounced portraits was intended to disrupt the state of deep immersion experienced by viewers as they watch “normal” TV programs, and to arouse their curiosity and self-consciousness. The portraits were eventually cut to 30 seconds each, and were broadcast five times a day over the course of two weeks.
G.L.

Bill Viola – born in the United States,1951.

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