Insomnia, Jeff Wall

     Jeff Wall’s photograph, Insomnia, stood out to me because of the natural unease created by the scene.   The half opened cupboards, the disorderly chairs, the figure laying on the floor; this list just goes on.  Jeff Wall's use of backlit transparencies brings this otherwise dull and muted kitchen to an eerie life.  The vertical lines created by the furniture in the room bring the viewers attention down to the sleepless man laying on the floor.  The man in the photograph gives off a sense of depression, restlessness, and even hopelessness.  Jeff Wall illustrates a real and common sensation.  His portrayal of insomnia is a very relatable state of being.  Wall has captured a moment of pure desperation.  The scene is very confined.  It looks as though the walls are closing in and are just about ready to engulf this helpless man on the ground.  The kitchen's claustrophobic and trapping nature almost echo the emotions of the man in the photo.  My reaction to the piece was understanding and empathy.  I could relate to the man in the photo who appears to have tried everything, yet nothing appears to be working.