A Sudden Gust of Wind (after Hokusai)

A Sudden Gust of Wind (after Hokusai)

Jeff Wall

1993
I felt that that was an inherently instantaneous image, or an image of instantaneity and it was photographic somehow. It was an invitation for me to do something with it.”
Jeff Wall

This is Jeff Wall’s A Sudden Gust of Wind. Created in 1993 in Vancouver, now a part of Tate Modern’s permanent collection in London, England.

A photo of the artist Jeff Wall.
Jeff Wall by Greg Girard, October 2012
Four men in a very windy field.

A Sudden Gust of Wind takes us to an open cranberry farm where four figures fall prey to a forceful windstorm. With pages flying and people ducking, this scene, much like a Hollywood film, is full of action, drama, comedy, and surprise. And that is no accident.

Jeff Wall is considered a pioneer in the field of conceptual photography. He's known to leverage his art history background along with cinematic techniques, to create images that question what’s real and what’s true.

What do you see first?

There’s often more to art than meets the eye.
Join us as we dig into this piece and get to know the story behind the story.

Keep learning on TVO.org

Documentary

Capturing Lee Miller

Best known for her self-portrait in Hitler's bath, Lee Miller's life was as extraordinary as her photos.
Read more
Documentary

Conflict

Six of the world's best conflict photographers take us behind the lens and into their lives. Pete Muller, Donna Ferrato, Robin Hammond, Eros Hoagland, João Silv...
Read more
Documentary

Love Cecil

Oscar®-winning set and costume designer, photographer, writer and painter Cecil Beaton was not only a dazzling chronicler, but an arbiter of his time. From the...
Read more
Video

The Age of Fake Realities is Upon Us

Conspiracy theories and accusations of fake news routinely fly in some quarters across the political spectrum, and particularly in the Twitter feed of the curre...
Watch now