Noorderlicht International Photo Festival 2020: Generation Z

Generation Z, the 27th edition of the Noorderlicht International Photo Festival, is about the youngest generation of world citizens, born after 1995. What is their place in society, how do they see their future, what are their ambitions? By tapping into the hopes and fears of Generation Z, Noorderlicht aims to provide insight into their young adult world. A sharp selection has been made for the festival, that shows a generation focusing on fundamental emancipation processes.

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Generation Z is the first group of digital world citizens to have an infinite amount of information at their fingertips from an early age on. But they are also naturally aware of its problematic relationship with the truth. Generation Z is witnessing the start of the fourth industrial revolution, in which technology is turning labour relations and the very essence of humanity upside down. Z is confronted with climate threats and an exhausted earth. It has no conscious memories of 9/11 or of a time without war on terror. It grows up in a world where it sees itself surrounded by work pressure problems, economic stagnation and nationalistic sentiment. They are young adults with less expectations of a stable future than their parents, something they hold previous generations responsible for.

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New balance
If one thing is clear to this generation it’s this: the current system no longer suffices. They collectively take to the streets to bring about change and fight hand in hand for a new balance between the forces that must guarantee the future of this planet. Z is clearing up radically, speeding up things like equality and inclusiveness. Subjects such as de-colonialisation, gender equality and body positivity are high on the agenda, and that is just the beginning. Generation Z is about realising a turning point, creating a basis for a new future and taking responsibility. In this story it is the personification of a change in thinking and acting, in which all generations will have to participate.

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Guest curator: Robert Jan Verhagen
Robert Jan Verhagen was active as initiator / artistic director in The Hague at successively 1646, <> TAG and LhGWR. Verhagen loves customization, which shows from the special way in which he has been engaged in talent development over the past decade. The sustainable trajectories that he undertook with diverse photographic talent have resulted in wonderful and successful careers. His eye for young makers was the main motivation to ask Verhagen for this edition of Noorderlicht Festival.