Otto Snoek – Rotterdam

This publication is the result of a collaboration between Witte de With and the Rotterdam born and bred photographer Otto Snoek (1966). Snoek’s photographs are especially striking for their powerful emotional impact. For Witte de With, the challenge in the collaboration with Snoek has above all been one of content – an artist’s practice is presented in a form other than an exhibition.

The relationship between Witte de With and the inhabitants of Rotterdam is also redefined, due to the choice for this artist and his subject, his hometown Rotterdam. Two writers, both closely associated with Rotterdam were asked to respond with a short story. They are Rachida Azough (Rotterdam, 1975) and Tina Rahimy (Rezaiyeh, Iran, 1975). The book has thus taken on the form of a triptych, in which three parallel and personal stories combine to give us a portrait of Rotterdam as it is today.
For this publication Otto Snoek made a new series of photos, adding other recent (since 2006), as yet unpublished work from his long-term photo essay “Hometown” (since 1997). Central in the new works in the publication is the ‘mix’ of the 174 cultures, 50% ‘foreigners’ and 50% ‘indigenous’ citizens coexisting in Rotterdam – whether or not relating to each other.
More than other cities Rotterdam is heterogeneous in its composition, elusive, restless, full of repressed tension but still hopeful. Snoek records processes and transitions, like an all-seeing eye and he has an exceptional gift for seizing the right moment. Some images will vanish, while other, newer images will come into being, thus safeguarding his images against any easy assumptions or a priori conclusions.

Snoek’s Rotterdam is an autonomous project, however, Witte de With published a book in co-operation with Rotterdam-based photographer Bas Princen in 2007 according to a similar concept. See Bas Princen’s “Rotterdam”.

Colophon
Number of copies 1250, language Dutch/English
Binding: sewn PVC soft cover
Size: 19 x 25.5 cm
Number of pages: 151
Concept: Nicolaus Schafhausen
Editor and production: Ariadne Urlus
Images by Otto Snoek, fifty-one full color photographs from the long-term photo essay “Hometown” (since 1997). All selected images are from 2006 onwards
Texts: Rachida Azough, “Meanwhile, back in Rotterdam”, Tina Rahimy, “So much to write home about”
Translations Dutch – English: Donald Gardner, Tina Rahimy
Translation German – English: Anna Schöning
Proofreading English: Zoë Gray, Angela Johnston, Monika Szewczyk
Design: Kummer & Herrman, Utrecht
Printed & bound: Die Keure, Brugge (B)
Publisher: Witte de With, Center for Contemporary Art, Rotterdam
Publication date March 2009
ISBN 978-90-73362-85-7
Price €20,-

With the support of City of Rotterdam – Dienst Kunst en Cultuur; Pact op Zuid, Rotterdam; Centrum Beeldende Kunst, Rotterdam; Foundation Volkskracht, Rotterdam.

Special thanks to Florian Waldvogel

Distribution
The book is available at Witte de With and via the following distributors:
Cornerhouse, Manchester (UK and Ireland only), online catalogue:www.cornerhouse.org, e-mail publications@cornerhouse.org, phone +44 161 2001503
Idea Books, Amsterdam, (The Netherlands and all other countries) online catalogue www.ideabooks.nl,
e-mail: idea@ideabooks.nl, phone: +31 (0)20 6226154