WALL, Jeff - Smaller Pictures

"The book, 'Smaller Pictures', brings together a set of works, selected by the artist and devised from the outset in small formats. Through a chronological sequence from the early 1970’s until today, we observe the sharpness and precision of Jeff Wall’s approach all the better here, with all of his passion for art history and broad knowledge of painting.

Alternating points of view between a 'wandering'  approach for the photo-text essay 'Landscape Manual' of the early 1970’s, carefully composed subjects on lightboxes with 'Diagonal Composition' (1993) and more intimate themes with 'Torso' (1997) printed on paper.
An essay by French critic and historian Jean-François Chevrier along with an interview between Chevrier and the artist enlighten us on the multiple facets of this work." (...)

Texts (in French) : Jean-François Chevrier, Agnès Sire and an interview between Jeff Wall and JF Chevrier (...)

"What does it mean to present small formats for an artist that is well known for his large-format lightboxes? Jeff WALL has also developed, and for over twenty years, a body of work devised from the outset in small format. A selection of these prints and lightboxes are featured for the first time in France at the Fondation HCB and in the book accompanying the exhibition.

Through a chronological sequence from the early 1970’s until today, we observe the sharpness and precision of Jeff WALL’s approach all the better here, with all of his passion for art history and broad knowledge of painting. Alternating points of view between a wandering approach, carefully composed subjects and more intimate themes." (publisher's note, © Éditions Barral, 2015)

Exhibition:
Jeff Wall, Smaller Pictures - Fondation Henri Cartier-Bresson, Paris
September 9 — December 20, 2015