Angela Snieder / Obscura

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Angela Snieder, "Diorama I," 2016

photopolymer print, chine-collé, edition of 10

Using techniques of photography and printmaking, Snieder's work proposes that illusion and artifice contribute to our experiences of space and their conceptualization, prompting us to discern reality from illusion and to consider the liminal space where these notions overlap.

Artist Statement:

"How can we think about the relationship between physical and psychological spaces? I am compelled by the possibility that the intersection of the two can foster deeply contemplative experiences, and enable attentive and empathetic consideration of our relationship with the world. Through both traditional and expanded print media, my recent print and installation works utilize techniques and theories of photography and printmaking to propose that illusion and artifice contribute to both our experiences of space and their conceptualization. Since their invention, photographic impressions have possessed an evidentiary power due to their indexical relationship with the physical world. Through various photographic forms, I aim to prompt a negotiation of reality and its representations that calls into question the truthfulness of photography. Making use of the mimetic relationship inherent to photography and photo-based print, my recent works draw attention not only to the photograph’s capacity for deception, but also to the elusiveness of perception and memory. I ask viewers what it means to discern reality from illusion and to consider the liminal space where these seemingly disparate notions overlap.

I am interested in the role and effects of illusion in the various works. What happens in the shifting moment when the eye catches on to the trick; and how does the knowledge of this conspiracy alter the experience of the image and of the illusion? This fluctuation invites heightened attention and opportunities for curiosity and surprise, prompting an examination of the nature of perception and our relationship with physical space."

Artist Bio:

Angela Snieder is an artist and educator living in Edmonton, Alberta. She received her BFA from York University in Toronto, Ontario and has recently completed her Masters of Fine Arts in Printmaking at the University of Alberta. She has exhibited her work nationally and internationally, and has taught both in the University and in the wider community. Her art practice is based primarily in photography methods and photo-based printmaking, and explores themes of land and place and the relationships between physical and psychological spaces.