Photographic Research

      The piece that stood out to me the most was Insomnia, by Jeff Wall. I think there is a striking narrative that is created by the interaction of the objects within the composition.  I felt like I could immediately sense a direct relationship between the kitchen environment and the man on the floor.  This man appears to be wide awake in an extremely illuminated room at night. He is in a relaxed position, as though he were sleeping, blanketed by the shadow of the tabletop above him. The open cabinets and shadows cast by the overhead light give a sense of life and movement to almost all the objects in the room. 

       There is a heavy emphasis on sharp edges, angles, and corners in the photograph. The man is figuratively trapped among all the angular lines, the walls essentially closing in on him.  Another thing that stands out in the picture is the circular shape on the wall.  The shape implies a missing clock suggesting the absence or exaggeration of time in the man’s consciousness. The brightness of the room contrasted against the dark window (which suggests the time of day) augments the concept of the unnatural sleeplessness that is insomnia. This idea is reinforced by the reflection of the overhead light in the window. It creates the illusion of a light source in the night, making it seem like the man cannot escape being awake no matter where he is.