ROBERT ZHAO RENHUI
Visual artist Robert Zhao Renhui (Singapore, 1983) often adopts a multi-disciplinary approach, presenting images together with documents and objects. His artistic practice investigates man’s relationship with nature. He has cooperated in solo and group exhibitions in Japan, France, England, South Korea, Indonesia and other countries. He received the Deutsche Bank Award for Photography and the Singapore National Arts Council Young Artist Award. 

What is your relationship with Noorderlicht?
“As an artist I was involved in two editions of the Noorderlicht International Photo Festival, in 2014 and 2016. As a photographer residing in Singapore, I was very honoured by the curator’s invitation. His research impressed me, and I was eager to participate.”

 What was your favourite exhibition? For what reason?
“I am not able to travel to all of the exhibitions I participate in the festival, due to work commitments. My favourite shows are the editions where the Noorderlicht-curator selected work that show us different photographers’ visions on the way we interact with our environment, as in the editions of 2012, 2014, 2016, 2017 and 2018. Some artists show these acts frontal and obvious, others more subtle and indirect. The festival brings about an urgent message of our impact on nature. We are all responsible for the degradation of our planet. The exhibitions that the festival curated form an important archive on our behaviour towards nature.” 

What do you want Noorderlicht | House of Photography for the future?
“Since the festival increasingly pays attention on man’s impact on nature, showcasing photographers that document these acts of violence we commit against our environment, I hope Noorderlicht continues to do what it does best: continue to exhibit photography from all over the globe and show us a perspective as no other medium can do.”