Problematizing the visual representation of reality as Jeff Wall’s intermedia documentary practice

Analizom rada Džefa Vola (Jeff Wall) pokazuje se da njegova umetnička dela stoje na granicama različitih medija i disciplina. Bilo kroz referiranje ili tehniku stvaranja, koju autor naziva kinematografijom, Džef Vol ni u jednom trenutku ne proizvodi samo fotografiju. Pored kretanja između disciplina različitih umetničkih medija, autor se kroz rad kreće i između teorije umetnosti sa jedne strane i kulture sećanja sa druge strane. Tim tragom, rad se okreće analizi uobičajenih shvatanja vizuelne reprezentacije, dokumentarnosti i sećanja, kao i njihovim odnosom prema istini i stvarnosti, koja se problematizuje kroz stvaralaštvo Džefa Vola. Sećanje se, naspram uobičajenog mišljenja, pokazuje kao deo ili aspekt imaginacije i, kao takvo, predstavlja osnovu umetnosti. Sa druge strane, dokumentarnost se odvaja od stvarnosti i istine i pridružuje poetičnom to jest, takođe se pokazuje kao deo fantastične funkcije. Oni (sećanje i fantazija ili imaginacija) se svako za sebe i zajedno udaljuju od linearnosti vremena čime stvaraju specifični vid reprezentacije koji je jasno vidljiv kako u samim delima Džefa Vola, tako i u njegovom kinematografskom pristupu stvaranju fotografija. Zaključuje se da ovaj umetnik stvara čistu ili istinsku reprezentaciju koja, naspram uobičajenih očekivanja i verovanja, ne pruža činjenice o stvarnosti, već se pokazuje kao pripadajuća prostoru fantazije.By analyzing Jeff Wall’s work we can see that his works of art stand between different media and disciplines. Whether through referring or his technique, which he calls cinematography, Jeff Wall never produces only photography. In addition to being in between different art media disciplines, he also moves between art theory on the one hand and cultural memory on the other. With this in mind, the paper focuses on the analysis of common understandings of visual representation, documentary and memory, as well as their relationship to truth and reality, which is problematized through Jeff Wall’s work. Memory, as opposed to common thinking, is shown as a part or aspect of the imagination and, as such, is the basis of art. On the other hand, the documentary separates itself from reality and truth and turns to the poetic, that is, it also partially serves the fantastic. They (memory and fantasy or imagination) move away from the linearity of time, thus creating a specific type of representation that is clearly visible both in the works of Jeff Wall and in his cinematic approach to photography. We can conclude that this artist creates a pure or true representation which, contrary to usual expectations and beliefs, does not provide facts about reality, but shows itself as belonging to the realm of fantasy