Wim Melis
author
Wim Melis is a Dutch curator and author who served as the head curator of the Noorderlicht photography foundation for 35 years. Starting in 1990, he was a driving force in establishing Noorderlicht as a prominent international platform for photography, visual culture, and documentary practice. He independently curated 22 festival themes between 1995 and 2019, focusing on socially engaged themes and navigating the transition from analog to digital media. His curatorial work often explores the intersection of photography and diverse cultural narratives, including the Arab world and African contemporary art. He has also been involved in photographic education, commercial projects in digital techniques, and the management of the Noorderlicht gallery and projects. He recently retired from his role at Noorderlicht in late 2025.[2,3]
- documentary photography
- visual culture
- African contemporary art
- socially engaged photography
Books
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Common Lives. Gewoon, Leven€20.00 -
Pandora's box€25.00
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Wonderland: Noordlicht 99€12.00
Works by Wim Melis
- 2000 Africa Inside: Noorderlicht 2000 Catalogue to the Noorderlicht 2000 photography festival.
- 2006 Nazar: Photographs from the Arab World Edited by Wim Melis.
- 2002 Creados Mundos: Latins-Amerikaanse Fotografie Collection of contemporary Latin-American art photography.
Exhibitions
- 2000 Africa Inside