One of the world's most celebrated video artists takes over some unexpected places, a famous war photo is brought to life and Hollywood films are sliced and diced. Just three examples of art exhibitions at the Norfolk and Norwich Festival. SIMON PARKIN previews.

SUBMERGED SPACES

Sainsbury Centre/The Undercroft, City Hall/The Crypt, The Carnary Chapel, until July 29, Tues-Sun 10am-5pm, free admission

Bill Viola is one of the world's most celebrated artists using video as a medium. His mesmerising installations explore such fundamental human experiences as birth, death and the unfolding of consciousness.

Now his seminal video work comes to this region for the first time in this major exhibition in three locations — two unusual and not usually accessible — that provides a snapshot of both his working practice and his mastery of subject matter. Comprising both large and small scale pieces it will be the first opportunity to see Visitation, plus Catherine's Room, Four Hands and Surrender.

TWOFOLD

Westlegate House, Norwich, May 11-26, 12pm-6pm, free admission

The first co-commission between the festival and Outpost, Twofold is an exhibition bringing together the work of German-born painter Gregor Hylla with the Russian artist Yelena Popova. As well as providing an overview of the bold iconography of these dynamic artists, Twofold is an ambitious investigation into contemporary modes of painting and an arena in which Hylla and Popova's work coincides: Hylla's hallmark palette of saturated colour is a thrilling counterpoint to Popova's fluid oval forms painted in soft shades on linen.

PLANET OF THE JACKANAPES

Norwich Castle Museum, May 11-27, Mon-Sat 10am-4.30pm, Sun 1pm-4.30pm, �2 (�1 cons)

Savage Pencil (aka Edwin Pouncey) and Eyeball (aka Chris Long) are Battle of The Eyes, and the gallery at Norwich Castle will become their studio during the festival and a public arena in which they pass the loaded paintbrush back and forth. Their first solo show includes paintings from the ongoing The Predatory Life series, archival materials, live action painting, films and on-site sculpture.

VIETNAM SCENE

Norwich City Centre, May 19-20, free admission

On 8 June 1972 a South Vietnamese aircraft accidentally dropped its napalm payload on the village of Trang Bang. With her clothes on fire, 9 year-old Phan Thi Kim Phue ran out of the village with her family to be airlifted to hospital. The scene is depicted in the famous photograph which has raised worldwide awareness of the horrors of war. Austrian artist Christian Eisenberger's cardboard bringing will bring this iconic photograph to public spaces around Norwich.

DAN TOMBS

Norwich Arts Centre, May 11-June 9, 10am-6pm, free admission

An exciting new exhibition of immersive digital prints and glitching video work. Dan Tombs' work explores the cracks in video technology, building-in defects and looking for ways to pry apart the technical stability of an image. He physically corrupts circuits, creates short circuits, and exploits the code of systems, with wild and unpredictable results. The exhibition includes a selection of Dan Tombs' music videos and live performances working with Gold Panda, Nathan Fake and Jon Hopkins.

YOUR BROTHER, REMEMBER?

The Garage, Chapelfield North, Norwich, May 18-20, �10, under-25s �5, 01603 766400, www.nnfestival.org.uk

Conceived, directed, edited and performed by Zachary Oberzan this is an elaborate experiment with the concept of before- and-after photographs, splicing and dicing home videos, Hollywood film footage and live performance. As children, Zachary and his brother Gator made parodies of their favourite films, especially Jean-Claude Van Damme's Kickboxer. Two decades later, Zack has recreated those films, now seen through the prism of 20 years of emotional and physical wear and tear.