Canadian photographer Jeff Wall has been a real influence in bringing photography into galleries as a real form of art. His work can be characterized simply as contemporary art and resembles more to the basics of painting rather to photography.
He has become famous for the use of large-scale backlit phototransparencies, resembling those of bus-stop advertisements. Instead of following the photographic method of framing, waiting and shooting, Wall produces photographs that represent scenes and places he has witnessed before. He would then stage on location or even build entire sets duplicating the scene and carefully planning and executing his photographs. Much like a painter, Wall carefully works on each of his photographs for long periods of time, sometimes even months (his work dates only around 130 pieces).
For more information, read the amazing article by Arthur Lubow in the New York Times, “The Luminist”. And for the music lovers, get a hold of Sonic Youth’s compilation album with Wall’s album cover (and title) “The Destroyed Room”.
