Noorderlicht Photofestival 2000: Africa Inside

The Noorderlicht Photofestival is ten years young! Its name refers to the Northern Lights, a visual phenomenon that is only to be experienced in the far north. Both Northern Lights remind us of dreams, desires, amazement. For a decade now Noorderlicht has explored the boundaries of documentary photography in events, exhibitions, lectures, books and cd-roms. In this tenth anniversary year Noorderlicht appears for the first time not in Groningen, but in Leeuwarden, because with the beginning of the new century Noorderlicht has become an annual festival which will take place alternatively in the provinces Groningen and Friesland.

“Africa Inside” is the main exhibition of Noorderlicht 2000, to be seen in the Fries Museum. The exhibition offers a blend of documentary and “autonomous” photography from East, Central and West Africa. Fourteen individual presentations are brought together in the show, presentations made by and for African eyes. Personal impressions, social documentation, stylized nudes, portraits and self-portraits: these are photographs that very few have seen, but that we will certainly still recognize in their engagement.