As a novice in the deep and meaningful artistic areas of photography, I hope I will be forgiven for my humble opinion of some of the diaristic/intimate life photography works that we have so far observed. I often feel that for some, making images of their lives are an indulgent pastime. A sticking-up of two fingers to authority, institution and codes that most of us have to abide by.
Dash Snow, Larry Clarke, Nan Goldin are all highly admired in the upper echelons of Photographical Art fraternities None of them are my cup of tea! Yes, I realise that some have gone on to find ways of using their work for good causes, but so far my opinion remains the same. I searched extensively to find a photographer I felt was more worthy to select for this week’s task. In the light of that struggle I decided to be a little outspoken and chose Dash Snow….Not to be confused with the far more interesting Dan Snow, British reporter and historian who for me presents far more interesting images!
Dash Snow, born to a family of art collectors and wealth, it seems was a somewhat wayward child, otherwise described with ‘oppositional defiant disorder’ ‘[argumentative/defiant behaviour/vindictiveness – usually targeted towards peers/parents/teachers]’. It seems as a teenager his solution to this was to drink, take drugs and take photographs in order to recall the places he had been to that he would not remember the following day!
Embracing street graffiti and becoming a member of the IRAK graffiti crew a collective of friends who loved graffiti: ‘art and racking [slang for shoplifting expensive items -hence the name IRAK “I rack”]’ He continued a troubled life of lawlessness but is now described as ‘an American multi-media artist known for work that embodied a rebellious drug fueled lifestyle.’ His friends Dan Colen and Ryan McGinley encouraged Snow to turn from being a thief to an artist. I find it ironic that his family was famously rooted in art, Snow rebelled and then became an ‘artist’. I can almost feel myself announcing in my best ‘Monty Python’ accent… “He’s not an artist, he’s just a very naughty boy!”
Snow’s ‘art’ is difficult to describe. His first photographs were Polaroids documenting places he passed out in along with images of sex, violence and drug taking, he progressed to collage. Describing to Ariel Levy in an interview how when ill he spit phlegm onto his apartment wall making circles with it until he decided what kind of art he wanted to create from it. His contribution to a Saatchi show was a piece called ‘Fuck the Police’ [featuring sprays of his sperm on a collage-like installation of tabloid cut-outs, headlining about corrupt police] I’m sure it was not to be missed.
I suppose like any ‘artist’ it can be about working with what you have. As someone who conforms, dislikes confrontation, is uncomfortable with extremes to me Snows photography/art is definitely not the type I’d have on my wall, or even particularly want to discuss, [except for this task] but like most ‘art’ no doubt it has a place somewhere.
Of course, as often happens, since his death at twenty seven from a drug overdose he has gained further notoriety and his works are collected by the Brooklyn Museum, the Whitney Museum of American Art, NY and the New Museum in New York among others. A documentary of his life ‘Moments Like This Never Last’ was released in 2020.
https://nymag.com/arts/art/profiles/26288/
https://www.artnet.com/artists/dash-snow/
