Dash Snow's photography career was marked by a rebellious spirit, often blurring the lines between art and reality. He was a true original, never one to follow the crowd.
Growing up in a family of artists, Snow was exposed to creativity from a young age. His parents, Ingrid and Vito Schnabel, were both artists, and their influence can be seen in his work.
Snow's photography often featured his friends and fellow artists, capturing the raw energy and spontaneity of their lives. His images were unapologetic and unfiltered, reflecting the chaos and beauty of the world around him.
In his photography, Snow sought to break free from the conventions of traditional art, embracing the raw and the unconventional. His work was a true reflection of his personality – bold, fearless, and unapologetic.
You might enjoy: Dash Work
Dash Snow's Life and Work
Dash Snow was born in 1981 in New York, and the city remained at the center of his life and his artwork until his death in 2009. He was a street kid from his mid-teens, writing graffiti with the IRAK crew.
Dash Snow's output as an artist began with Polaroids of the city and of his friends, and soon expanded to 35mm photography, free zines and posters, neo-Dada psycho-political collage and assemblage sculpture, and finally haunting Super8 films. His artwork was included in the 2006 Whitney Biennial.
Dash Snow's artwork was included in numerous exhibitions, including the Pergamon Museum in Berlin, the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, the MACRO Museum in Rome, the New Museum in New York, and the Schirn Kunsthalle in Frankfurt and the Staatliche Kusnthalle in Baden-Baden.
Some notable exhibitions of Dash Snow's work include:
Early Life and Influences
Dash Snow was born on September 27, 1981, in New York City.
Growing up in a family of artists, Dash was exposed to the city's vibrant street art scene from a young age. His mother, Ingrid Silius, was a Swedish artist and filmmaker, and his father, Bill Snow, was an American artist and photographer.
Dash's parents encouraged his creative pursuits, and he began taking photographs at the age of 13.
Additional reading: Dash Snow
Career Highlights
He gained recognition for his bold and often provocative street art, which frequently featured his own image and name.
Snow's work was showcased in several group exhibitions, including a 2004 show at the Deitch Projects gallery in New York City.
He also collaborated with other artists, such as artist and musician, Harmony Korine, on various projects.
In 2006, Snow's work was featured in a solo exhibition at the Deitch Projects gallery, marking a significant milestone in his career.
Notable Works
Dash Snow's work spanned multiple mediums, including photography, filmmaking, and installation art. He was known for his raw and often provocative approach to capturing the human experience.
Snow's photographs often featured himself and his friends engaging in reckless and destructive behavior, which was a hallmark of his early work. He was part of a group of artists known as the "Downtown scene", which included artists like Harmony Korine and Nate Lowman.
Snow's films were often experimental and pushed the boundaries of traditional narrative storytelling. One of his most notable films, "We Live in the Future", was a documentary-style film that showcased the lives of his friends and fellow artists.
Snow's installations often incorporated found objects and materials, which he would use to create immersive and thought-provoking environments. His use of unconventional materials and techniques added to the raw and unbridled nature of his work.
Snow's work was not without controversy, and he often faced criticism for his reckless and destructive behavior. However, his work also garnered widespread attention and acclaim, with many praising his unflinching and unapologetic approach to the human experience.
Photography Style
Dash Snow's photography style is characterized by his use of Polaroids, which he began shooting in large quantities around the time of 9/11. He valued the medium for its physicality, making it a durable record that could be carried around the city.
The smallness of the Polaroid format lends itself to an intimate interaction, which suited Snow's mission to keep his work free from external influences. He was as interested in photographing total strangers as he was in capturing close friends and family.
Snow's use of Polaroids allowed him to create a unique time capsule of the years following 9/11, capturing the abandon and wiliness of his circle during that time. These photographs show the artist's ability to find beauty in the everyday.
The instant nature of Polaroid photography also made it easy for Snow to experiment with the medium, allowing him to scratch on the images with a ballpoint pen or glue them into a zine or collage.
Sources
- https://www.brantfoundation.org/exhibitions/freeze-means-run/
- https://jackwalls.com/dashsnow/
- https://www.lempertz.com/en/catalogues/artist-index/detail/snow-dash.html
- https://www.vice.com/en/article/dash-snow-1981-2009/
- https://www.interviewmagazine.com/film/cheryl-dunn-dash-snow-moments-like-this-never-last-documentary
Featured Images: pexels.com