Jon Snape

Snape graduated with a Masters in Fine Art from the University of Portsmouth in 2003.

His work is based in photography and is intended to draw a comparison between the sometimes contradictory theories, underpinning painting, and the mechanically reproduced image in a contemporary context, drawing ideas and inspiration from modern/post-modern society and debate. Snape’s work usually consists of a series of photographic images arranged in a linear or matrix fashion. This arrangement, along with the subject matter is designed to highlight similarities and dissimilarities within layers of meaning.

 

My work is primarily lens based, and is designed to look at the issues surrounding the sometimes contradictory critical theory’s underpinning painting and that of mechanical reproduction, both as process and re-presentation.

I firmly believe that art “today“ should be concept driven and contemporary.

In that it should present itself in such a way, that it gives the viewer the opportunity to interpret the work in their own way, thus forming their own opinions and ideas. The final outcome being dependent upon the ability of the artist to project an idea, and accepting that any response will be many and varied.

I have long been intrigued by the idea of the camera as a framing device. In practice finding this characteristic an impediment to visual creativity.

I therefore sometimes attempt to broach the frame through the use of an overlapping panel technique. Thus opening up the narrative through similarity and dissimilarity across adjacent frames. I have unashamedly referenced painting and text within the work. I make no attempt to try to make a photograph look like a painting, rather I use the camera as a platform from which to view the ideas surrounding both, sometimes similar, sometimes dissimilar media.