Grażyna Siedlecka and Marijn Bril to curate Noorderlicht Biennale PLAY 2027

Marijn Bril (pictured right) is a curator and researcher in Rotterdam who explores how technology quietly shapes the way we work, think and share. She's interested in the systems behind our screens, the labour behind digital culture, and yes, memes as a serious form of knowledge. She loves formats that break the mould, like mixing sports matches with debates on digital culture.

Marijn: "Noorderlicht has such a rich history in photography, and I’m excited to ask what lensbased media can be today, as images increasingly intersect with technology. Doing that together with Grażyna across three provinces in the North makes it even more exciting."

Grażyna Siedlecka (pictured left) is a curator and writer who asks who gets to be seen in photography, and how art can reach people beyond the usual circles. She looks for new ways for art to circulate and cares deeply about the ethics of curating. She also brings to the Biennial an experimental approach to curating. For PLAY, they both bring playful and critical perspectives to lens-based media in a digital world. 

Grażyna: “Photography and related media are evolving in so many fascinating directions right now. I’m thrilled to play with the upcoming theme alongside a cocurator who brings such a sharp technological perspective! I have a fantastic feeling about this collaboration and can't wait to see where our joint energy takes us."

Roosje Klap, director of Noorderlicht: "Grażyna and Marijn are asking exactly the questions that matter right now. At a time when many people would rather retreat into their own world, we choose play. Playing is not an escape from reality. It is practising, trying things out, making up rules together and breaking them again. That is precisely what we need right now. With PLAY 2027, we invite everyone to join in."

Further information about the theme, venues and programme of Noorderlicht Biennale PLAY 2027 will follow.