Naarden Photo Festival (FFN) is a biennial photo exhibition which has been presenting the current state of autonomous photography since 1989. Photography moves and changes and that is why FFN is also in motion. Not only is photography developing, there are countless crossovers between forms of expression in the visual arts: moving image, installations, video art, increasingly blurring the boundaries of what was once the art of photography.
The festival focuses not only on documentary photography, but also on photography that is true to the basic principles of beauty and artistry - in the broadest sense of the word. It is precisely at this intersection of documentary and artistic photography that we want to incite visitors to think and to change or develop their views on current affairs.
The Photo Festival has developed a strong signature of its own by using the Naarden fortress as a stage for professional photographers and young photographic talent. The exhibition is set up throughout the fortress of Naarden - outside as well as in the bastions, old cityhall and other unique locations. The festival thus stimulates the discovery of both the fortress and photography by a large audience. We offer the public a unique visual experience enriched with the atmosphere of the environment of the historical heritage. These ingredients form the backbone of the festival.
The Photo Festival
The last edition (FFN 2019) showed an artistic exploration that was achieved by attracting a new curatorial team. New and established names, video art, installations and far-reaching digital photographic adaptations as well as analogue and collodion technology - the festival showed great diversity but also unity in the theme of 'marvelous misfits'.
Photography will remain the main theme and related art forms will have their place in the upcoming editions of the festival. In the coming years, the festival aims to open up to even more new and established talent in photography as well as make crossovers to film, digital art, installations and possibly other forms of imagery in order to offer an even more varied and stronger programme to all target groups and contribute to the profile of the Fortress of Naarden as a cultural destination.
The board of Photo Festival Naarden is as follows:
André van der Velde, chairman
Hans Vernes, secretary
Ernst de Wijs, Treasurer
Koos Breukel, photographer
Hedy van Erp, photo historian, author
Joke Smit, project management
Charlotte Brand, project management
Ellen Piekaar, communication & marketing
