Multimedia enlightenment: transcendent experiences with the help of technology

We may not often consider how the video we transport and display will contribute to, if not actually define, our environment. To be sure, there are theatres designed to enhance the viewing experience as well as special rooms built for remote conferencing with simulated round tables and large displays. But these are environments where the video is often secondary to other means of communication and expression. What if we designed spaces where video displays, audio, lighting, and more were all controlled to create a rich and meaningful user experience based on content and intent? What if video became a primary means for facilitating experiences? What would my office look like then? My home? And what would we ask of various technologies to deliver that experience? Here, the author writes about Bill Viola, who is among the first and certainly among the leading video artists. Viola's work - its content, vibrancy, and scale - creates whole environments and rich user experiences with a sophisticated technology that's nevertheless well hidden. His work represents the perfect marriage of art and cutting-edge technology to facilitate the exploration of innermost reality.