Bill Viola

Bill Viola's "Ocean Without a Shore" creates a sense of balance within the work in an interesting and unexpected way.  Using water to to create a visible vertical axis, the artist emphasizes the symmetry of the young man's body.  The lighting in the image also draws attention to the outer edges of the figure, causing the viewer to notice the points of symmetry along the figure (ears, shoulders, arms, hands, etc.).  I like the way Viola takes the notion of formal balance and puts an interesting spin on it by using water to call attention to the image's symmetry.  The balance in the image becomes central to the viewer's experience.