Jeff Wall (at SFMOMA)

Jeff Wall, Picture for Women, 1979

Most of us see art mainly in reproduction; it's a blessing and a curse. But if you're used to seeing Jeff Wall that way, his current retrospective - now at SFMOMA - will hold some surprises for you. Not the least of which may be the feeling of estrangement that pervades it.

The truth is that it's almost impossible to disassociate Wall's lightboxes from the advertising displays that were their source. The consequence is a disorienting sense of having been transported from the gallery to that cathedral of 21st century anomie - the airport.

On the other hand, the artificiality of the display format perfectly complements the contrived nature of the photographs. I've criticized Wall's contrivance before - here, for example - but I take it all back. In fact, I now think it's essential to the ultimate success of the work that we know it was staged.

As is the flatness of Wall's subject matter. Lots of subjects would be ludicrous in this format - the Hokusai, for example - but Wall's pedestrians and disco kids do just fine. If these photographs weren't staged, you might wonder why he took them. The fact that he made them up simply obviates that question. Like reality tv, you know they were meant to be cheesy.

All in all, this show works. Refracted through our knowledge that each of these scenes is the premeditated creation of the artist, the trivial subjects and grandiose displays set up an emotional reverberation that is simultaneously disturbing and thrilling.

At SFMOMA until January 27.