Jeff Wall produced his first backlit staged image in 1977, he experimented whilst an undergraduate at UBC. He later presented at his first exhibition in 1978 where he then had his piece “The Destroyed Room” in the front of the store.
The Destroyed Room (1978)
Picture For Women (1979)
Another piece of his, “Picture for Women” released in 1979, was considered one of his pieces to really kickstart his success, as well as “The Destroyed Room” which also became one of his recognised pieces. It’s quite an interesting piece as it seems rather simplistic; two figures within a rather bare setting of what looks to be some kind of studio. The room is practically empty besides the few desks and chairs. The woman appears to be wearing a serious look, almost in deep thoughts whereas the man; Jeff Wall seems to be watching something behind the camera. Art critic, Jed Perl described the image as his signature piece.
A Sudden Gust Of Wind (1993)
Jeff’s piece “A Sudden Gust Of Wind” was heavily influenced after Katsushika Hokusai’s piece “Yejiri Station, Province of Suruga” which was originally a woodblock print created in 1832. The image has several actors which had been cloned into the image to create the illusion of several people in the image.
Yejiri Station, Province of Suruga (1832)
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