*1972, Virginia Beach. Lives in Frankfurt and Berlin.
Gibraltar of the North project, 1998 (mixed media)Arriving and Transfering Passengers FfM Airport, 1998 (video)
Because of the historical importance of its fortress, the City of Luxembourg has been surnamed "Gibraltar of the North". Nowadays, Gibraltar (just like Luxembourg) is renowned for its banks, its tourism and its tax-free goods. Sean Snyder's work gives an account of his impressions collected on his first journey to Luxembourg. He establishes links between both cities and countries, while submitting their urban structures to a critical structural analysis: Luxembourg in Gibraltar and Gibraltar in Luxembourg. Several cities claim the surname of "Venice of the North" evoking exotic associations with the South. On the other hand, Venice would never call itself the "Saint Petersburg of the South".
Sean Snyder casts his eye upon undefined, hybrid areas characteristic of modern urban structures (airport exits, graffitis, wrecked park benches). During Manifesta 2, he hands out posters made of collages of photographs from specific places in Luxembourg and Gibraltar. The two cities are no longer distinguishable. Sean Snyder exemplifies the subversive approach of the emerging young generation of artists who refuse to give in to the fascination of media.
C.P.C.A. 12, rue du Puits, Bonnevoie
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