Noorderlicht International Photography Festival 
“Tell Me” (2020)

Noorderlicht Studio, Groningen - Young Curators: Tell me, eight personal stories on cultural identity   

Globalization has made the cultural climate of today the most complex and layered sphere we have ever encountered; diverse in gender, sexuality, technology, race and ways of thinking. This leads many creative makers to reflect inward in their work, to get a grasp on their own cultural identity. This inherently gives the public a chance to understand the artist’s position and an at the same time broaden their own horizon and perspective. 

The eight artists in ‘Tell me,’ come from very different parts of the globe and represent different spectrums of cultural identity. What they share is their flair for storytelling, which is inclusive and reflective of their world. Sometimes the artist’s stories clash, sometimes they complement each other. But that only conveys the richness and diversity of identity politics and highlights how this new generation of creative makers find ways for their narratives to coexist.

Bringing together these works in a group show creates a stage for the individual artists to inform each other and their audience. Not just about their personal and trans-historical stories, but also about the way in which they conduct research and convert these stories into visual art.

Curated by: Sydney Rahimtoola and Hanane El Ouardani    

Featuring: Alicia Mersey (US) 

Hassan Kurbanaev  

Ilyes Griyeb (FR)
Karolina Wotjas (PL)

Malou Bumbum  (DK/NL) 

Randa Maroufi (FR) 

Sarker Protick (BA) 

Shadman Shahid (NL)

Description written by: Marc Knip 

Thank you for the support, Robert-Jan Verjheiden.