Engaging Form of Art (05:14)

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John Moses, the Dean of St. Paul's Cathedral, shares his experience with the work of artist Bill Viola at the National Gallery. Viola describes his feelings about receiving the invitation from Dean Moses to create a specific art piece.

Developing an Artistic Concept (08:06)

Kira Perov, Viola collaborator and wife, and the other team of artists come together in a field to plan and begin shooting a video art piece. Curator and historian John Hanhardt explains his perspective on how Viola is inspired by Renaissance art.

Creating Art Collaboratively (05:59)

Viola talks about the beauty that can be found in birth, life, and death. He visits St. Paul's Cathedral; he needs to become familiar with the site to ground the work to the location. Perov talks about the process of collaborating with her husband.

Designing an Art Exhibit (07:37)

Viola travels to the Church of San Gallo to set up a video art exhibition that uses the architecture of the church to enhance the viewer's experience. The collaborators travel back to St. Paul's Cathedral to set up mock-ups to further plan and visualize the art project.

Viola's Inspirations (06:54)

Viola talks about the beauty of the sunset at the Salton Sea and his personal history with this location. Viola and his team of performance artists work to create the third scene of the crucifixion, also known as the Pieta.

Logistics of Filming (10:16)

At the Martyrs shoot in Los Angeles one performer is hoisted upside-down in a representation of Saint Peter's crucifixion. This production includes reenactments of several saintly deaths as well as extravagant effects including a fireworks display.

Understanding Humanity (11:01)

At the Blaini Southern Gallery of London, Viola and Perov project images of two elderly people high up on slabs of granite. Viola shares his thoughts on the cycle of life and how humanity recycles itself again and again throughout history.

Developing an Aesthetic (09:20)

Viola, Perov, and the other artists involved in the making of the St. Paul's Cathedral art performance exhibition see their work in its entirety on opening night. Viola was transformed by the influence of Nam June Paik while at Syracuse University.

Creative Space (08:55)

Viola gives the film crew a tour of his Long Beach, California home, focusing specifically on his study where he spends the majority of his creative time. The creative team works on completing the second half of the St. Paul's Cathedral project, experimenting with various presentation styles.

Finishing St. Paul's (05:53)

Viola and Perov visit St. Paul's once more to view the rough installation of their continued art piece. Viola lays out the timeline for the second half of this piece. Perov explains why this project was so important to her and her husband.

Credits: The Road to St Paul's (01:37)

Credits: The Road to St Paul's