Robin Alysha Clemens
Emerging Adulthood (working title, work-in-progress) (2020)

Over the past twenty years there has been a change in young people’s emerging adulthood; the transition phase from adolescence to adulthood. Research shows that the youngsters of Generation Z are growing up more slowly than those of previous generations. Leaving the parental home at a later age, studying longer and starting later when it comes to work, sex and children.

Adulthood is often seen as something subjective that you undergo passively. But the University of Groningen measures ‘maturity’ in various studies on the basis of so-called mature activities and milestones. What exactly are the effects of achieving these milestones and how do they ensure that some young people grow up faster than their peers?

Robin Alysha Clemens is a photographer and storyteller, interested in people in the context of groups and (sub)cultures. She visualises scenes with a cinematographic approach and, as a visual anthropologist, explores themes such as culture, identity, sense of community, traditions and the associated symbolism. In ‘Emerging Adulthood’ (working title), research and different perceptions of adulthood intersect. The series is still under development and a preview will be shown in Museum Belvédère.

The complete work, a commission within the framework of the long-term collaborative project ‘Imagining Science’ by Noorderlicht and the University of Groningen, will be exhibited at a later date. It is the fourth edition of this collaboration, which annually commissions a photographer to portray scientific research related to the theme of that year’s festival.

Robin Alysha Clemens (NL, 1992) obtained her Bachelor of Arts from the Royal Academy of Art (KAKB) in The Hague in 2016, and now lives and works in Amsterdam. She creates autonomous projects, such as recently ‘Yo soy otro tú, tú eres otro yo’ about spirituality in Mexico, and works for various clients such as De Correspondent, Het Parool and Natwerk. Her work has been exhibited on multiple occasions, including at the Dutch Design Week, in the Melkweg Expo, TETEM art centre and during NUCLEUS, the Noorderlicht Photography Festival of 2017.