Jeff Wall

This large-format book also serves as the catalogue to the Jeff Wall exhibition held in the Museo Tamayo in Mexico City. It includes some of his recent color photographs mounted in light boxes as well as some large black and white prints.The Canadian artist divides his photographs into two main categories: documental ones, which represent a specific place or space, without evident manipulation by the artist; and cinematic ones, which recreate and restructure events.This can go from the subtle movement of elements in a given situation to more elaborate approaches which involve the construction of settings and other aspects of stage direction. Although Wall considers these two different working methods, it is interesting to see how they are constantly being combined or superimposed in practice. With plentiful references to the splendid natural surroundings and distinctive urban character of Vancouver, where the artist lives and works, the group of photographs reproduced here consists mainly of work created in the last seven years. The selection offers a striking view of the forms whereby Wall continues to question and expand the ways photography is defined and understood. Jeff Wall was awarded the Hasselblad Prize in 2002 and his works have earned a place in many important museums and collections.