Jeff Wall Interview: Pictures Like Poems

[@kenmarten6049]

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.

[@eddie1984ify]

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.

[@durango-CODEBUILDER]

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.

[@gmar7836]

Jeff is quite the talker. Abstract. Not a fan of his work but I could listen to him all day

[@stevegodsell]

Agreed. I find the explanation of his work far more engaging than his work.

[@marthaevans8270]

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.

[@aloncohen87]

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

[@ViaOjo]

Alon Cohen I never heard of him. This is fantastic!

[@ChrisC-ei2kc]

He's a HACK!

[@jennifercoralie9158]

Poems ... contemplations ... definitely great art.

[@melis_0411]

Happenings and the absence of happenings, so interesting

[@BobACNJ]

Most good photographs do not need so many words. It's a visual art.

[@sunburnramthem2373]

Jeff has it all and a tank full of new

[@tarunjindal2977]

I feel like I was looking for this! Thanks

[@dalicloud9]

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.

[@user-wp7lt5rl2p]

Why?

[@emre28oz79]

Great talk, very inspiring. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

[@Addikt78]

Such an eloquent photographer. So good.

[@jackgalmitz1883]

Has the feeling to me of a Renaissance painting (the club photo).

[@prettyselections9155]

the audio is so beautiful. What gear did you use?

[@CarmineGroe]

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?

[@shikhasoni8382]

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'

[@CarmineGroe]

@@shikhasoni8382 it may be interesting for Jeff, but why is it compelling as art?

[@justalostlocal]

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.

[@CarmineGroe]

@@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.

[@diego_oio]

@@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.

[@mattlewisworks]

Very interesting interview!

[@jojojonah-i5]

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.

[@tonywalton1052]

+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

[@gmar7836]

His work is mediocre

[@ArtBusker]

Cool !!! Muy bueno !

[@charlesbox5410]

about to show a power point of this guy wish me luck

[@Rednax131]

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

[@-Timur1214]

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

[@debrajdas4527]

How did it go?

[@heal.alenamana]

beautiful x

[@ratgirl13]

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.

[@gmar7836]

Agreed

[@davecrissinger8967]

Ho hum makes me feel better about myself

[@youbuddha1]

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 :)

[@LucaMelchionna-lmelk]

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.

[@feralmode]

I agree, not his best work. It works on an intellectual level but that’s about it.

[@joeystickfigure1756]

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?

[@klaushuxley3342]

@@joeystickfigure1756 Without all the blabbing, it looks bad. That's all there is to it. There's nothing I like about the photo.

[@m.chadwick1503]

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.

[@animaljustice7774]

I find his diction mesmerizing. 🤩

[@marjaelinahakaniemi9368]

I understand what he pursues. Artist talk interesting, I liked to know about, what paper he used?

[@jaytomioka3137]

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...

[@rogerhyland8283]

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.

[@nucleoarteterapia]

Podrían traducir . No entendí nada

[@eeveetrainer6619]

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

[@tonywalton1052]

+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

[@seBcopTer]

That and create incredible work...

[@robotweizenkeim1556]

so he took that picture "very quickly" in maybe "20 minutes" ... excuse me? It's amateurish. (at 12:00)

[@robotweizenkeim1556]

I can totally relate to what he tells about qualities in a photo. His compositional execution imo is overrated.

[@robotweizenkeim1556]

or catching the best moment.

[@robotweizenkeim1556]

I like the idea of poems in pictures. That's good.

[@fotovogue5579]

Great

[@RichardCorral]

The way he talks reminds me of David Byrne

[@melanietruth]

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.

[@peterwoodham769]

His photos are like snapshots but he has gone to a lot of trouble set them up? Such a disappointment.

[@Tryfieldanimas]

[@goldfinch2283]

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.

[@SirRoundsoundRecords]

love his work, dont like to hear him speak, I thought he would be smarter.. at least more thoughtfull....

[@nanwilder2853]

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)!

[@OlymPigs2010]

...yes yes there is a market for "The Emperor's New Clothes"!

[@djnelsonmaxmix]

what he is trying to say is gregory crewsond

[@MMAFIGHTCLUB11]

LOL

[@coreafan]

hahahahahh good one !

[@allanswitzer5658]

Crewdson copycat of Wall’s originality

[@MikeKleinsteuber]

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.

[@alicemagari]

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

[@antonialim7718]

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

[@christopherhowell3209]

I enjoyed watching this,..but it does not relate to this generation,..unfortunately!

[@maxbashyrov5785]

Is it just me who thinks it's quite mediocre work?

[@hazelnazel123]

Soooooo pretentious lol

[@AdamJonesPhoto]

What a load of nonsense 😅

[@davidhoffman6669]

Think it's a case of thr Emporers new clothes myself, never heard anybody talk such a load of old bollocks!

[@eddyjcreative100]

Hoffman, you don't know shit...way of base...

[@carls2690]

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.

[@feralmode]

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.

[@baptistepayendessin]

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.

[@throughmyeyes9940]

"the prettiness of a Robert Frank", are you freaking kidding us

[@outtathyme5679]

Yeah this is not particularly artful stuff

[@raolhooley]

The trunk wasvital ,the people had to walk again and again...the guy is full of it..this is a classical example of art speak bullshit..and the image is totally booring..

[@raolhooley]

Occurences and nonoccurences happen....lol...no shit sherlock