Performing Adulthood’: Photography and video project by the University of Groningen and Noorderlicht

What does growing up mean to Generation Z and how do young people portray themselves? ‘Performing Adulthood’ is a photography and video project by Robin Alysha Clemens about young people between the ages of 16 and 24. Currently, their lives revolve around forming their own identity and dealing with more responsibilities and independence.

Noorderlicht and the University of Groningen

The ‘Performing Adulthood’ project arose from a collaboration between the University of Groningen (UG) and Noorderlicht photography foundation. It is part of the ‘Imagining Science’ series: each year, a fine art photographer is asked to depict a field of scientific research at the UG in relation to a theme. The resulting photographs and videos are exhibited at the Noorderlicht gallery and are used by the UG to show that art and science have clear overlaps, which can be showcased in an artistic manner.

The 'Performing Adulthood' project

This year’s theme of the ‘Imagining Science’ series was Generation Z and the project was carried out by Robin Alysha Clemens. The project calls on us to think about the self-image of young people, for whom the constant presence of cameras and social media has become natural. The images not only show us the perfect picture that is then shared but they also reveal the gritty, searching, and uncomfortable moments behind it. Clemens does this by reversing the roles of the photographer and the model; she asked the young people to portray themselves and curate their own photos. In addition to the end product, the exhibition showcases the process, giving the visitor an interesting insight into the performance of young people and into their photography. Besides the self-portraits, the project includes six videos in which different groups of friends discuss relevant and contemporary topics, such as online dating, friendship, death, climate change, loneliness, careers, the housing shortage, and social media. This gives the visitor an intimate view of the self-representation of young people, combined with their opinions, fears, and perspectives on their lives and futures.

Robin Alysha Clemens

Robin Alysha Clemens (b. 1992) obtained her Bachelor of Arts at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague in 2016 and currently lives and works in Amsterdam. Her work visualizes scenes with a cinematographic approach, in which cultures, subcultures, and a sense of community are omnipresent. She investigates identity, culture, traditions, and their symbolism. She creates autonomous projects but also works for various clients, including De Correspondent news website, Het Parool newspaper, Natwerk creative bureau, and, for this exhibition, Noorderlicht and the UG.

Practical information

What: Video and photography project 'Performing Adulthood'
Where: Noorderlicht Studio
When: 26 March to 15 May 2022
Opening hours: Thursday to Sunday from 12 noon till 5 p.m.
Tickets: Free entrance