Dimitri Ozerkov, Chief Curator of the PSI Foundation, has described the philosophy behind Unspoken — a landmark exhibition of Bill Viola's video art now showing in Cyprus — as a deliberate act of resistance against the pace and fragmentation of modern digital life.
A First for the Island
The exhibition marks a significant moment for Cyprus's cultural landscape.
"This is the first major presentation of this pioneer of video art on the island, and therefore it could not simply be a retrospective,"Ozerkov told In-Cyprus. The show takes its title directly from one of Viola's own works, and Ozerkov is careful to explain what that word carries.
"The 'unspoken' does not necessarily imply absence, but rather another form of presence, which is central to Viola's practice."
Visitors to the exhibition are invited to engage with the work not as passive observers of a fixed narrative, but as active participants in a shifting experience.
"Narratives emerge and dissolve through the visitor's movement in space and time,"Ozerkov explained, adding that
"the image does not exist independently of its perception. Each viewer activates the work through their own experience, and meaning emerges from that encounter."In this sense, Viola's works function as temporal fields — environments to be entered rather than stories with clear beginnings and ends.
Slowness as Resistance
Central to Ozerkov's framing of the exhibition is the idea that Viola's characteristic use of slowed time is not merely an aesthetic choice.
"Slowness is more than an aesthetic strategy; it is a response to the conditions of contemporary life,"he said.
"By slowing down time, Viola allows us to perceive what usually remains invisible. In this way, slowness becomes a form of resistance to fragmentation and a means of restoring depth to perception."
Ozerkov also addressed the broader role of technology in Viola's art, arguing that the American artist reframes what digital tools can be for.
"Viola demonstrates that technology can become a medium for approaching the invisible, sleep, death, spiritual transition, and thus act as a bridge between the material and the immaterial."
Cyprus as Context
The exhibition extends beyond a single gallery space, encouraging visitors to explore some of Cyprus's most significant archaeological sites — among them Amathus, Kourion, Kouklia and Paphos — allowing the island's ancient landscape to resonate with Viola's meditations on time and the human condition. Recreating the precise conditions required for each work demanded meticulous management of both light and sound.
A vital figure in the exhibition's realisation is Kira Perov, Bill Viola's lifelong creative collaborator. Following Viola's passing, Perov has taken on the responsibility of preserving and continuing his legacy.
"Her role is crucial. She was his lifelong collaborator and continues to ensure the integrity and continuity of his work,"Ozerkov said.
Beyond the Traditional Exhibition Space
The PSI Foundation, which is presenting the show and provides free public access to all its exhibitions and activities, describes itself in terms that match Ozerkov's curatorial ambitions.
"The PSI Foundation operates as a hybrid cultural organisation that goes beyond the traditional exhibition space, combining elements of a museum, research platform and public environment,"he said. Its wider programme spans lectures, concerts, masterclasses and an open digital archive.
On the question of whether contemporary art risks alienating general audiences, Ozerkov offered a measured response:
"What matters is creating conditions where complexity does not exclude the viewer."With Unspoken, it appears Cyprus has been offered precisely that opportunity.
