Jeff Wall Interview: Pictures Like Poems
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 7 เม.ย. 2015
- Discover what inspires and motivates one of the modern masters of photography, Canadian Jeff Wall, who here discusses a selection of his impressive photographs and their often meticulous compositions.
“The camera creates such a beautiful illusion, an illusion so similar to what we see with our eyes, it seems as though we’re looking through the surface.” To be observant is key to Jeff Wall. Picture making of any kind - from photography to sculpturing - expresses an acceptance of the way things are and appear: “I love the appearance of a tree or a face or a sidewalk… I get enjoyment just from seeing them.”
Wall’s photographs are often made from something as abstract as an occurrence - or the absence of an occurrence - and when there is no explanatory text to guide you, you have to be sensitive to what you’re looking at and figure out the story for yourself. Like in poetry, the subject and its value has to come through to you by means of what it makes you feel: “Take away the verbal description, you get into the pure picture - and then you have to relate to it as a poem.”
One part of Wall’s pictures is traditional photomontages, where one previews in the mind’s eye what a place would potentially look like in a picture. The other part is what he calls ‘near-documentary photographs’, which resemble snapshots but are not. Creating these is a laborious process where a scene sometimes - and always out of necessity - has to be completely reconstructed and staged, often from several pictures. This act of composition and construction is of utmost interest to Wall, who is intrigued by the playful nature of ‘truth’ in photography: “A very accurate replica of a place itself has a documentary quality.”
Jeff Wall (b. 1946) is a Canadian photographer based in Vancouver. In the 1970s he began to produce and exhibit large-scale transparent photographs mounted on light boxes, which became his first artistic hallmark. He holds a MA in art history from University of British Columbia and the Courtauld Institute in London. His work has been exhibited in numerous international exhibitions, including Tate Modern in London, The Art Institute of Chicago, the San Francisco Museum of Art, National Gallery of Victoria in Melbourne, the Museo Tamayo in Mexico City, Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, Kunsthaus Bregenz and MoMA in New York. Wall is the recipient of numerous prizes, including the Erna and Victor Hasselblad Foundation International Award in Photography (2002) and the Audian Prize for Lifetime Achievement in the Visual Arts (2008). Moreover, he was named Officer of the Order of Canada in 2007.
Jeff Wall was interviewed by Marc-Christoph Wagner at the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, Humlebæk in March 2015 in connection to the exhibition ‘Jeff Wall: Tableaux Pictures Photographs - Works from 1996-2013’. All the pictures featured in the video can be found in the publication of the same title.
The three pictures discussed in depth in the video are ‘Concreteball’ (2002), ‘Overpass’ (2001) and ‘In Front of a Nightclub’ (2006), all by Jeff Wall.
Camera: Kasper Kiertzner
Edited by: Kamilla Bruus
Produced by: Marc-Christoph Wagner
Cover photo: ‘After Invisible Man’ by Ralph Ellison, the Prologue (2000) by Jeff Wall
Copyright: Louisiana Channel, Louisiana Museum of Modern Art, 2015
Supported by Nordea-fonden - ภาพยนตร์และแอนิเมชัน
I've watched this interview twice as I find trying to appreciate his work leads me into a conundrum. I find his pictures simultaneously enigmatic and banal, pretentious and sublime. I often have conflicting responses to the same photograph, so I can't dismiss his work as irrelevant. I'm in agreement with all of the arguments expressed both for and against his work! However, the main take-home I got from this interview is that I'm going to allow myself to make the work I want to make and stop trying to contextualise it with what I a believe to be good photography- as I'll just end up with pictures that just look like everyone else's. Hell, I'll go as far as allowing myself to make work that even I don't like, as this seems a vital step to artistic growth.
I love his linkages between photography and poetry. Hearing Wall verbalise his view on how someone interacts with an image is incredibly refreshing and reassuring for and to me.
Jeff Wall's work advances an argument for the need for pictorial art.
That is something worth appreciation.
Excellent interview and what a magical speaker.
Jeff is quite the talker. Abstract. Not a fan of his work but I could listen to him all day
Agreed. I find the explanation of his work far more engaging than his work.
I feel like I was looking for this! Thanks
Such an eloquent photographer. So good.
The addition of light added into the aesthetic experience gives the gift of the picture that provides insights less possible in the non-illuminated image in a small frame on on a page.
Great talk, very inspiring. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
He is an inspiration for me in every sense of the word When I saw his exhibition in Tel Aviv museum it was like a Eureka moment
Alon Cohen I never heard of him. This is fantastic!
Happenings and the absence of happenings, so interesting
Jeff has it all and a tank full of new
Poems ... contemplations ... definitely great art.
the audio is so beautiful. What gear did you use?
Very interesting interview!
Has the feeling to me of a Renaissance painting (the club photo).
Cool !!! Muy bueno !
beautiful x
Most good photographs do not need so many words. It's a visual art.
sometimes, like after watching videos quite similar to this one, i wonder why on earth it is that i am interested or care so deeply about art at all.
Why?
What a fucking interesting speaker he is. I love his work. He could make terrible work but based on his ability to speak quite complex and a bit intriguing way, he could fool people into believing anything, AKA what happens in the art world.
+Jojo Jonah Dammit! you;'ve figured out the art world. Here's how it goes: The vision is not in the image, but exists outside the image - somehow contemplating if it is in fact, an actual vision, or even if it exists at all, BUT one has to obey it, and understand it's center......yaddayaddayaddda
His work is mediocre
I find his diction mesmerizing. 🤩
Ho hum makes me feel better about myself
Thanks for sharing! I have a question which would add clarity to my understanding of Jeff's work: why is the act of planning and displaying a fabricated "real life" situation compelling or valuable or worth considering as art versus a "real" found situation that is authentic in the real world? Authentic meaning not planned, paying a model to take part or live through, etc., as Jeff Wall uses in his strategy as an artist. Or is it not? It helps that he can so clearly use language to explain his thought process and is this as valuable as the work itself, with regards to the ultimate aesthetic and cultural values & impact it has on the viewer, or should I say the common viewer, and not an art critic?
He said so in the interview, that working on these fabricated compositions is more exciting for him as an artist as compared to always clicking what he called 'snapshots'
@@shikhasoni8382 it may be interesting for Jeff, but why is it compelling as art?
Painters plan out their composition painstakingly, they do multiple studies, they look for references and even restart. Are the resulting artworks not authentic expressions after so many process? Why can’t the same principle be applied to photography? Even the origin of the word „photography“ translate to light painting or painting with light. It’s okay if you don’t like staged photography as a genre, but to deny it’s validity or contribution to art and culture is short sighted. Authentic = not planned is also a narrow definition, for example in theatre or movies the performance might be inauthentic since it’s acting according to script, but the emotion expressed by masterful actors can be felt as more than real/authentic.
@@justalostlocal you are misunderstanding. I do not deny staged photography as an art form. I guess my question is: what makes this work masterful? The values we have today to choose valid artists is questionable in my opinion. I understand the inner struggles and challenges, considerations of an artist like Jeff Wall are real and valid. OK - so now, why is that MORE valid than say any other artists experiencing a similar journey. This other, maybe less intellectual and academic artist, may never be recognized and fall through the cracks ( hence the term starving artist). The sad part today is that an artist becomes an artist after they can clearly articulate their "feelings". What a contradiction. Real "visual" art is art that does not require words to describe what it is. It's either masterful from the gut or it is not.
@@CarmineGroe Contemporary Art is changing the concept of "Real Visual Art". What is real, or reality for you? In modern photography, the objective vision was important, but contemporary art request for a mind vision, a subjective vision. The photographs from Jeff Wall can explore the reality in the way that traditional photography don't. Susan Sontag said: "The photograph is more real than reality." Is this that images of Jeff Wall are.
Every photographer with a consolidate body of work can have a validate from the art industry. And, as you said, be more intellectual and academic can help in this journey. Jeff wasn't considered a master photographer when he was emergent.
about to show a power point of this guy wish me luck
Charles Box hey this is gonna seem weird but i have to make a powerpoint on the subject of photography next month, and i was wondering if you would be able to email me your slides? Or anything you have that might be useful, its for my fine art ba, would really appreciate the help thanks
Charles Box Also holding a power point about him soon, he's way more interesting than I imagined, really makes me happy to have gotten him as my subject
How did it go?
Great
I understand what he pursues. Artist talk interesting, I liked to know about, what paper he used?
Marja Elina Hakaniemi it depends upon the print in question... many are printed on Japanese paper (和紙) ... gampi is popular among many print makers due to the high tensile strength and delicate aesthetic qualities...
so.... basically what i'm getting out of all this mumbling on is "Talk about your work in the most mundane, yet convoluted manner.... and your instantly classified as 'an artyeste' :D Fuckin GENIUS...... genius
+Doom Cannon The vision is not in the image, but exists outside the image - somehow contemplating if it is in fact, an actual vision, or even if it exists at all..........yaddayaddayaddda
That and create incredible work...
I hear what he’s saying, but his photos don’t speak poetically to me-I see bits and pieces of his photos echoing other well know photographer’s works, whether that’s intentional or accidentally only he knows-the work is interesting, so there’s that-I’d like to see him in his photos, and there are glimpses of him in some of them-but otherwise the work seems disjointed and distanced and for me he misses the target. I enjoyed watching the video, thanks for the upload.
Agreed
I wonder if the change in public attitudes towards modern art and broader acceptance of the transgression it makes of previous conservative notions is just that alone: a broader awareness and acceptance of what might constitute art, without any particular broadening of social norms or inclusion of what was previously deemed unacceptable. Are we less violent towards one another, more loving or tolerant, and if so, is that because of our exposure to art or other causes, such as the increasing likelihood that people will know or be close to someone living differently to the accepted norms of their childhood and the democratisation of media through the internet.
Podrían traducir . No entendí nada
13:10 the concrete ball photo,wow,if this photo means something to you could you explain it to me,could you describe the feelings in was intended to evoke,and explain why I'm a bit stupid for thinking it a bland photo in a park,I like some of his stuff,I saw an exhibition and liked the scale of the large prints,funny old thing art,i cant help thinking this is shit :)
Nicky Nunn I felt sensations of freedom and pleasure. After a second I realized that the artist had framed the ball so that it would be precisely in the center. It looks weird, heavy, maybe menacing, certainly not "just a ball" anymore, doesn't it? And this has reminded me of similar experiences when I have felt that we are not condemned to just see the world "as it is": we can choose how to see it, we can build meanings into it, and make choices. We can create our world, we play with it, and even a wet pavement can become magical.
I agree, not his best work. It works on an intellectual level but that’s about it.
You may be correct about your thinking, but can you be more critical about it! In terms of subject, subject matter, form, medium, historical, ethical and geographical reasons? What informed you to think this way? Can you maybe compare a piece of work you have made to Jeff's and inform us why you think yours is better?
@@joeystickfigure1756 Without all the blabbing, it looks bad. That's all there is to it. There's nothing I like about the photo.
Honestly, his work makes me feel like he is killing it in the “fake it til you make it” game. If you can present anything with enough confidence, someone will buy into it.
The way he talks reminds me of David Byrne
so he took that picture "very quickly" in maybe "20 minutes" ... excuse me? It's amateurish. (at 12:00)
I can totally relate to what he tells about qualities in a photo. His compositional execution imo is overrated.
or catching the best moment.
I like the idea of poems in pictures. That's good.
...yes yes there is a market for "The Emperor's New Clothes"!
I keep re-evaluating what I think is "good" or "tasteful" etc. All I know for sure is it looks real fancy schmantzy when they show their assistant creeping around doing mysterious things to the "work" that never get explained in the video. Where are my assistants! I should live so long, lol.
love his work, dont like to hear him speak, I thought he would be smarter.. at least more thoughtfull....
I’m underwhelmed by his work, and tortured by his s l o w s p e a k I n g … I also found him to be pretentious. (Art-splaining how his snapshots aren’t snapshots)!
what he is trying to say is gregory crewsond
LOL
hahahahahh good one !
Crewdson copycat of Wall’s originality
Maybe it’s because I didn’t have so much art knowledge I just don’t get the beauty of his picture. I don’t think there’s anything special in his picture other then the scale . Dk how am I going to pass the artist knowledge test on him
I enjoyed watching this,..but it does not relate to this generation,..unfortunately!
His photos are like snapshots but he has gone to a lot of trouble set them up? Such a disappointment.
Another photographer who thinks his work is greater than it is. He can intellectualise all he wants but in reality his snaps are dead and he's a pimple on the cheek of someone like Saul Leiter or Fred Herzog. Just because he's been picked up by Gagosian doesn't entitle him to think he's actually any good.
I don't think he is intellectualising anything, just speaking about his process to obtain pictures, the two photographers you're mentioning are working without creating the image, they relate to their quick eye shot, and especially one of them is coming from painting, you can see it from how they relate to colors and different levels and dimensions, so they use photography as light brushes, seems that Wall is inspired by paintings for the compositions but keeping the strong concept of photography as a medium. Everyone then have a different idea of poetry, I'm not fond to his artworks but I understand his point of view
Soooooo pretentious lol
Think it's a case of thr Emporers new clothes myself, never heard anybody talk such a load of old bollocks!
Hoffman, you don't know shit...way of base...
I just don't think this is good work. I'm shaking my head, trying to figure it out.
What a load of nonsense 😅
He is a good talker, but he photos are average at best. I think you need to be an “artist” to read all this stuff into mediocre photos. It reminds me of the tale of the king without clothes.
These aren't poetic, they're bullshit. Pure product, no heart. Not even good pictures. Robert frank's a poet. This is poetry like a Nicholas Sparks novel is poetry.
Carl S product? Are you kidding me? They’re as far away from product as could possibly be. If anything the prettiness of a Robert Frank is far more commercial today.
Why do you compare him to Robert Franck ?
I think that poetry is almost the perfect word for this kind of work : It’s made by someone to touch people who are receptive to it, and other people may hate, ignore, or don’t understand it. None are right, and none are wrong, it’s a matter of taste and sensitivity.
"the prettiness of a Robert Frank", are you freaking kidding us
Yeah this is not particularly artful stuff
Is it just me who thinks it's quite mediocre work?