Floor Snels

artistiek onderzoek - conceptueel - interactief - omgeving - publieke ruimte - sociaal-maatschappelijk

Floor Snels is a 2019 graduate of the visual arts program at AKV st. Joost. As an artist, Floor investigates the processes that led to certain social structures. Most social structures consist of hierarchical relationships. They dictate how we should behave in certain situations and influence our identity formation. Floor delves into specific groups and dives into the history of the people and their environment. She uses image making as a form to engage in conversation with people who are part of a social structure.


Kroniekschrijvers aan Tafel - Geïnspireerd op de Bourgondische feesten kruipen Floor Snels, Jetske van Dorp en Sofie Hollander in de rol van kroniekschrijver over een huwelijk. De Bredase wijken Liniekwartier en Doornbos zijn één geworden. Deze samenkomst heeft iets weg van een bruiloft. Ze hebben zelfs elkaars naam overgenomen: Doornbos-Linie. De Kroniekschrijvers gingen op pad om de bewoners te vragen hoe zij de aankomende ‘bruiloft’ ervaren, en hoe de viering er uit komt te zien. Kroniekschrijvers verzamelen feiten en schrijven deze in principe in een chronologische volgorde op. Tijdens de bourgondische feesten, die voornamelijk uit uitgebreide bankets bestonden werden er met het gebruiken van eten grootse verhalen verteld. Door eten te gebruiken om het huwelijksverhaal te vertellen worden de rollen van kroniekschrijver en verhalenverteller met elkaar verweven en willen Floor, Jetske en Sofie de subjectiviteit van historische verhalen benadrukken. Ze gooien de chronologie van de verhalen die ze hebben ontvangen overhoop en gooien er hun eigen sausje overheen. Kroniekschrijvers aan Tafel is onderdeel van Linie aan Tafel; een reeks korte projecten die komend jaar plaats vinden als voorbereiding op het installeren van het kunstwerk (de tafel) in de wijk: gemaakt door Floor Snels. Met coördinatie van Eef Schoolmeesters. Floor nodigde in 2020 de inwoners van Liniekwartier in Breda uit hun favoriete bourgondische gerechten en recepten te tekenen. Deze tekeningen worden gebruikt voor een tafel die in de wijk komt te staan.
Bits and Pieces - Floor has decided that she does not want to show her own work at This Art Fair. She no longer supports the work she was planning to share, as certain rules regarding corona and certain agreements with the catering industry limited her in her original plan. At the moment there is also no other work that she would like to bring out at the fair because after her initial plan could not be executed, every option felt like an opportunistic attempt to fill her part of the booth. Therefore, Floor had decided that she no longer wanted to participate in This Art Fair. As a result, Floor looked for ways to defy the pressure to perform. An exuberant “I can” when showing her own work was something Floor could not do. Not showing her own work at This Art Fair was not allowed. What “if we perceive the pressure to perform to be innately linked to the regimentation of options. [...] So beyond the yes or no, beyond either/or, there seem to be a million other options.” Bits and Bites sent out an open call for collaboration to all This Art Fair participants a few weeks ago. By joining Bits and Bites, Floor is, among other things, trying out a form of manners with the pressure to perform. During This Art Fair, Paul Braspenning, Mike Megens and Sid Dankers will facilitate a live stream from a physical studio in De Kromhouthal. The emphasis will be on a two-way interaction with the fair.
Fata morgana’s, dwalen door de geest - In the work 'Fata Morganas, dwalen door de geest' (Mirage, wandering through the mind) you will read fictional stories about the future of Heusden, written by the inhabitants of Heusden, by looking through binoculars. It is a reactionary story, where each person who participated adds a sentence to the previous sentence. The stories are set in the water, so that due to the reflection of the water, it is only possible to read parts of the story. History is told as a story of causes and effects. That story defines the present and gives direction to the future. We are aware of the broader context in which parts of the story take place. But as much as the past can be placed in a context broader than its reflection shows us, the present is a reflection of current knowledge, the cultural context, the emotions and ideas of today. Our perception of the present is like a mirage that we believe to be a hallucination. From where, we consciously or unconsciously course towards a certain future.
Futeau: Branding Identities - Playful and driven by a deep interest in people and their histories, Floor Snels (1997) investigates identities that are characteristic of a particular community. (...) In Breda she also presents the installation Futeau: Branding Identities which consists of several videos, historical source material and a collection of blue stones on the floor. In that work she shows her research into the servant identity of the inhabitants of the northern French village of Futeau. The videos shown are filmed in a chaotic and energetic manner. This not only reflects Snels' personality, but also emphasizes the subjectivity of her depiction of the village. She absolutely does not want to be the outsider who comes to tell the inhabitants how things are. What she does want is to work with them to find a way to generate more appreciation for their identity.(...) Passage from text by Zoe Dankert , final exam supplement, Metropolis M No 4-2019
Het Bed - During a two-week work period at De Fabriek in Eindhoven, everyone who participated in the working period had the choice to stay the night at De Fabriek. Only in the bedroom there was not enough room for everyone. The bed made it possible for everyone to stay overnight. The bed was built during the work period and every night people slept in it. During the last weekend of the work period De Fabriek was open to visitors, the informal of the daily rhythm therefore became part of the formal presentation during the weekend. A number of visitors spent the night in The Bed.
Wilhelmus - A new version of the Dutch national anthem is written on each flag. The version is based on the recollection of the original Wilhelmus by various people living in the Netherlands. The presentation of the flag is accompanied by a performance. When the flag is raised, the participants will sing their version of the Wilhelmus in canon. Not a history lesson. But a lesson in interpretation, memory, cultural identity and the subjectivity of history. Not to mention a substantial contribution to the canon of the Netherlands. kaapstadtilburg.nl