Smaller Pictures

“What does the exhibition of small formats mean for an artist who is best known for his large-scale photographic works? The artist himself made the selection, choosing only works originally conceived in small format from his personal collection. This ‘tableau form’, at once ‘cinematic’ and ‘almost documentary’, is the hallmark of the demanding constructions of this Canadian artist from Vancouver. Very often presented in the form of light boxes, which partly created his legend, his compositions have also been the subject of glass-framed prints for almost twenty years”. (Agnès Sire)

Through a chronological tour of his small formats, Jeff Wall reveals the concerns that have guided him throughout his career. Always rigorously composed, his photographs invoke numerous themes from the history of art and literature.

Jean-François Chevrier’s essay and the interview he conducted with Jeff Wall in 2007 accompany this visual journey, shedding light on the many facets of his work.