Until June 1968
[B] Biographical Elements [G] Galleries [R] Reading [E / I] Encounters and Influences [TH / W] Themes and Works [EX] Exhibitions [A / ED] Assignments and Editions
of Fine Arts in Ghent. He remembers, for instance, a lecture by a nephew of Vincent Van Gogh about his uncle, as well as a lecture about Pieter Breughel and his time. Later on he attends sessions of Jeugd en Plastische Kunsten (Youth and Plastic Arts), organized by the Vereniging voor het Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst in Ghent and led by Karel Geirlandt, including one by Pierre Restany about the Nouveaux Réalistes. Ph. Van Snick visits the exhibitions Forum ’62 and Forum ’63 in the Centrum voor Kunstambachten, in the former SintPietersabdij in Ghent, as well as the exhibition FiguratieDefiguratie in 1964. In this way he discovers many artists, including the members of Zero and the Nulgroep, Piero Manzoni, the Nouveaux Réalistes (Niki de St Phalle, Martial Raysse, Yves Klein), Bert De Leeuw, Guy Mees, and many others. It was important to him to be exposed to their works. [Interviews with Ph.V.S., studio, Brussels, 2006-2009]
[1] Schippersvuurtje, 1965
Ph. Van Snick says that during his time at the academy, in the period 1965-1968, he was of course influenced by local teachers, with whom he engaged in discussions from 1966-1967 onward. This applies to Pierre Vlerick in particular, whose open mind he stresses, and less to Jan Burssens, who is more self-preoccupied. For this reason, Ph. Van Snick eventually quits painting classes and only continues to be enrolled in the etching class. In those years, Pierre Vlerick is responsible for organizing the exhibitions in the Sint-Pietersabdij in Ghent. Some students, including Ph. Van Snick in the period 1966-1968, thereby provide assistance. For instance, Ph. Van Snick contributes to ‘Three blind mice’/ de collecties : Visser, Peeters, Becht, (Eindhoven, Stedelijk Van Abbemuseum, 6.4 – 19.5 1968 ; Ghent, Sint Pietersabdij, 15.6 – 15.8 1968), which much impresses him. [Interviews with Ph.V.S., studio, Brussels, 2006-2009]
In 1966 Ph. Van Snick starts living in a room in the Pand, Lievevrouwbroerstraat in Ghent, where more art academy students are living, including Hilaire Roels, Jef Somerlinck, and Etienne Lievens. He gets to know René Heyvaert, with whom he, as occasional “driver”, sometimes visits exhibitions. Through his teacher Paul Van Gyseghem, who is highly interested in jazz and who also performs as a jazz musician and bass player, Ph. Van Snick attends jazz performances in Antwerp, such as in De Muze, a bar. This of course results in new encounters as well. During his formative years, Ph. Van Snick is strongly drawn to the oeuvre of Vincent Van Gogh. Other work of significance to him is that of Pierre Bonnard, in particular his touch. He says that the generation to which he belongs was influenced by Flemish Expressionism, and also by modern art [2] Zelfportret, 1965
1960 -1969
Chronology
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