Jeff Wall: A Retrospective | Foundation Beyeler
A Donkey in Blackpool 1999 © Jeff Wall
Written by Meighan Ashford
Photo Edited by Kelly Woodyard
Acclaimed artist Jeff Wall is presenting a comprehensive solo show at the FoundationBeeler from January 28th to April 21st, 2024. Set in Switzerland, the outstanding display is his first solo exhibition in Switzerland in almost 20 years. Wall takes viewers on an engrossing tour of his innovative large-format pictorial photography technique, taking viewers on a voyage by capturing the relationship with the natural world.
A Sudden Gust of Wind (after Hokusai) 1993 © Jeff Wall
Known as a pioneer of "staged photography," Wall has contributed significantly to the individual advancement of photography since the late 1970’s. The exhibition will feature 55 strategically selected works from Wall. Mainly, his private collections and foreign museums. Each, retroactively, offers viewers a unique opportunity to explore the artist's vast body of work.This variety of techniques not only demonstrates his technical proficiency but also gives each image additional depth, improving the overall visual experience.
After 'Invisible Man' by Ralph Ellison, the Prologue 1999-2001 © Jeff Wall
Wall uses a unique technique where he painstakingly composes large-format images from multiple individual shots. Each garners inspiration from both everyday life and art history, with a remarkable resemblance to cinema stills. Eleven rooms house the exhibition. Each serve as a platform both for his nuanced formal and thematic dialogue, early, and more recent pieces.
Boxing 2011 © Jeff Wall
Wall's well-known transparencies in lightboxes allow viewers to view his work in a distinctive light. Specifically, minute details and multi-faceted stories characterize his creative vision. Above all, distinctions between color and black-and-white prints and photographs emphasize Wall's mastery of depth and photographic adaptability. Walt, in doing so, is applauded for his creative eye and subsequent contributions.
Boy falls from tree 2010 © Jeff Wall
Furthermore, his large-format images are examples of his careful and redefined composition techniques. Each draw upon influences from everyday life and art history. Namely, his works resemble well-composed film stills, and combine elements of painting, cinema, and literature with photography. This combination is imperative, as it creates a sophisticated style Wall term as "cinematography."
In front of a nightclub 2006 © Jeff Wall
Viewers will be able to experience a smooth transition between Wall's well-known pieces and several recent works while visiting the exhibition. Each contributes to Wall's creative development. In doing so, he allows guests to succumb deeper into the subtleties of both his formal innovations and thematic explorations. Infusing new works not only provides a retrospective, modern feel but demonstrates Wall's drive towards pushing the limits of his medium. Wall embraces challenges, which is apparent in his works.
Mask maker 2015 © Jeff Wall
The exhibition, from January 28th to April 21st, 2024, offers visitors the chance to interact with Wall and revel in the visual spectacle of his creations. Jeff Wall will also speak in person about his current work and share his vision behind the exhibition. Visitors to Wall's photographs are not only spectators-but players in a visual harmony. An opportunity to travel to landscapes that defy time itself, guided by Conley's skillful use of photography to tell a story.
Milk 1984 © Jeff Wall
More than a mere show, "Jeff Wall: A Pioneering Vision Unveiled" at Fondation Beyeleris an immersive investigation of an artist who has challenged the fundamental principles of photography.
Summer Afternoons 2013 © Jeff Wall
