Snyman, Chris

A seduction of a special kind

With amazing versatility, Chris Snyman is able to persuasively articulate his ideas in diverse
visual disciplines and in a wide range of materials and techniques. Originally trained as a
goldsmith, Chris actually loves to make grand statements using vigorous marks in raw
materials, sometimes on an industrial scale. Manipulating over-sized sections of mild steel
and painting big, colorful canvasses in arbitrary colors, he enjoys the spontaneity and
freedom of the big, sweeping brush stroke in evocative compositions. He tends to draw from
individual experiences and personal perspectives, often incorporating autobiographical
elements. Subscribing to strong moral, religious and private principles, Chris values
kindness, loyalty, honesty, tact, wisdom, discipline and old-fashioned good manners highly.
His open stylistic experimentation and unrestrained approach to subject matter speak of bold
courage, celebrating creative freedom to counter the pitfalls of stagnation.
Through the application of daring colour, technique and composition, Chris conveys an
intense, compassionate view of his world, committed to depict aspects of joy, happiness and
pain in his paintings and sculptures. Regarded by his peers as an artist’s artist, he sees
creative expression as a path to self-discovery and to explore spirituality as a way of life.

Celebrating light and energy in his painting, Chris’s personal mythology is strewn with wings
and Koi fish. Wings bring to mind angels as beings of light and amplifiers of energy. For Chris,
they shrewdly steer the carrier to find personal goals, skillfully maneuvering around problems
to uplift the soul. In his work the colorful Koi is a warrior who spares no effort to reach its goal,
often applied in association with erotic attraction. Chris finds inspiration in moments of
interpersonal relationships and does not shy away from depicting private involvement, telling
seemingly familiar visual stories that genially invite the viewer closer and closer – a seduction
of a special kind… .

Hercules D. Viljoen

Director

National Art Gallery of Namibia

RELATED EXPERIENCE

2011 DESGNER OF THE „ THROPY „ FOR THE BANK WINHOEK

TRIENALE

2014 DESINGED AND MANUFACTURED 5 SCREENS,

NATIONAL ART GALLERY OF NAMIBIA

AFFILIATIONS:
2009 – PRESENT MEMBER OF „ VISUAL ARTISTS NAMIBIA
SOLO – EXHIBITIONS
PARTICIPATED IN GROUP EXHIBITIONS IN NAMIBIA & GERMANY.
2013 JOINT EXHIBITION WITH PAPA SHIKONGENI, TITLED „HUMANITY „, FINE ART
GALLERY, SWAKOPMUND, NAMIBIA
2014 REPRESENTED NAMIBIA IN A TRAVEL EXHIBITION IN GENEVE/ ITALY & USA
2015 JOINT EXHIBITION, TITLED „ BIPOLAR DREAMS „ WITH HELENA BRANDT,
FINE ART GALLERY, SWAKOPMUND, NAMIBIA

2009 TRANSFORMATIONS, STUDIO 77, WINDHOEK; NAMIBIA

PAINTINGS IN OIL & MIXED MEDIA, SCULPTURES IN BRONZE & WOOD
2010 UNTITLED: EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED, STUDIO 77, WINDHOEK

OIL PAINTINGS & BLACK & WHITE INK DRAWINGS

DESIGNER JEWELLERY

2016 NATIONAL ART GALLERY OF NAMIBIA

OIL PAINTINGS, SCULPTURES OF BRONZE, CEMENT & STEEL

COLLABORATIVE PROJECTS

2014 LAND MATTERS IN ART, NATIONAL ART GALLERY OF NAMIBIA
2014 GENDER BASED VIOLANCE, NATIONAL ART GALLERY OF NAMIBIA
2014 PROJECT OPEN ART, NATIONAL ART GALLERY OF NAMIBIA
2014 CELEBRATING COLOURS, ART ASSOCIATION SWAKOPMUND
2014 BEYOND THE CONNECTION, PARIS, FRANCE
2014 OPEN ART PROJECT, TITLED “UTOPIA “, UNIVERSITY OF HEIDELBERG, GERMANY
2016 ARTIST OF THE WORLD EXHIBITION, BARCELONA, SPAIN
2016 HUMANS, MADE IN.GALLERY, VENICE, ITALY
2017 OPEN ART PROJECT, TITLED “ BETWEEN VIRTUAL AND REAL “ UNIVERSITY OF FREIBURG, GERMANY
2017 ARTBOX.PROJECT, ART BASEL, SWITZERLAND
2018 ARTBOX. PROJRCT, NEW YORK, USA

PRIVATE COLLECTIONS

NAMIBIA, SOUTH AFRICA, AUSTRALIA, GERMANY, ITALY, FRANCE

PUBLICATIONS

2014 REPUBLIKEIN – CHRIS SNYMAN: ‘N BIETJIE REBELLIE, SO NOU EN DAN
2013 FLAMINGO MAGAZINE / AIR NAMIBIA – CHRIS SNYMAN “FROM FINE ANGELS TO FINE ART “
2013 REPUBLIKEIN – HUMANITY ON EXHIBITION
2011 ALLAFRICACOM – TRIENNALE OUT OF ITS CLASS
2010 AZ – 30 JAHRE AFRICAN ART JUWELIERE

AWARDS

2011 3rd PRIZE, 2D WORKS, BANK WINDHOEK TRIENNALE
2014 DISTINGUISHED ARTIST, ART ASCENT MAGAZINE
2014 FINALIST, BEYOND THE CONNECTION EVENT
2015 DISTINGUISHED ARTIST, ART ASCENT MAGAZINE