Since the early 1970s, Bill Viola has worked in video and has been instrumental in establishing the medium as a vital form of contemporary art. In the light of his interest in Islamic Sufism, Christian mysticism and Zen Buddhism, Viola addresses themes connected to the universal experiences of birth, death, and the unfolding of consciousness. Five Angels for the Millennium is typical of the artist's highly-compelling installations in which the viewer is immersed. Here, in a completely darkened space, five largescale projections show figures in slow motion descending and ascending into and out of water. The accompanying soundtrack rises in a crescendo as figures erupt through glistening pools.