November 14, 2011
Erwin Olaf turns the camera on himself for the 2012 Lavazza calendar. “The Lavazzers” is the 20th edition of the calendar and reunites twelve masters of photography who have made it a success in past years. Olaf and the eleven other photographers, including Ellen von Unwerth, Annie Leibovitz, and David LaChapelle, interpreted themselves in innovative, unusual, and imaginative shots.
Read about Erwin Olaf’s self-portrait for Lavazza
October 28, 2011
Erwin Olaf is the 2011 recipient of the Johannes Vermeer Award. The award is a state prize for the arts and was set up in 2008 by the Dutch government. It is awarded for outstanding artistic talent working in the Netherlands in disciplines that range from design to dance, fashion to music, and writing to painting. Boekmanstichting, an intersectional study for arts, culture, and policy, oversees judging and organization for the award and ceremony.
Read more about Olaf’s Johannes Vermeer Award
September 21, 2010
Louis Vuitton commissions Erwin Olaf’s A Journey to Excellence, showing now at the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam until September 27, 2010. The Dutch photographer captures fellow Dutch citizens in a series of portraits. The featured individuals are: Dick Bruna, Hans van Manen (pictured above, right), Janine Jansen (pictured above, left), Johan Cruijff, Joop van den Ende, Lidewij Edelkoort and Paul Crutzen. All are revered in their respective field in culture, science, or sports.
The exhibit coincides with the opening of Louis Vuitton’s new in-store boutique in the Bijenkorf department store in Amsterdam. The Peter Marino designed store is the luxury brand’s second location in the Netherlands.
View more portraits by Erwin Olaf in
May 4, 2010
Photo District News announces “the innovators who made the year in photography.” Erwin Olaf and Michael Schnabel were recognized for their advertising work, Stephen Wilkes was honored for three of his editorial pieces, and Stewart Cohen’s and Joel Meyerowitz’s photo books were lauded. Pictured above is Olaf’s “Voltaren” campaign with agency Saatchi & Saatchi. The campaign illustrates that with Voltaren gel, the elderly can become flexible as flexible as a ballerina, dancer, or yoga instructor. Creative Director: Magnus Olsson. Art Directors: Alexander Lagoet, Rick Coolegem.
View more of the work that is in the PDN Photo Annual
February 1, 2010
Erwin Olaf’s “Hotel, Dawn & Dusk” opened last Thursday night at Hasted Hunt Kraeutler in New York to an energetic reception. Patrons eagerly filled the expansive gallery space to view new photographs and videos by the Dutch artist. Olaf’s solo show debut in New York was “Rain and Hope,” followed by a succesful sophomore show “Grief.” “Dawn & Dusk” marks the mature succession of Olaf’s vision.
Olaf describes “Dusk” as “a dark comic strip.” In response to Dusk, Olaf shot “Dawn,” images inspired by by an encounter in Russia with pale-skinned people in characterless rooms. Dawn and Dusk are inverted mirrors of each other, one dark and one light, both enigmatic in their own right.
Also on view is “Hotel,” a body of work dealing with Olaf’s travels and the accompanying feelings of transience and anomie, the unsettled sense of passing through, and the boredom of being on one’s own.
View photos from the show and learn more about Erwin Olaf’s work
September 17, 2009
Fashion impresario Diane Pernet presents the second annual ASVFF 2009, A Shaded View on Fashion Film. The festival features work by Erwin Olaf, Steven Klein, Chris Cunningham, and more. Making its debut at the festival, Olaf’s film Dusk shows a tableaux vivant of an African American Family set within the background of the city of New York. Originally pursuing a career in journalism, Olaf has always been interested in exploring issues of gender, sensuality, humour, despair and grace.
Screenings will run at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris on September 25, 26, and 27, 2009. The final awards ceremony will be held at the Centre Pompidou on October 8, 2009 with special guest fashion designer Rick Owens.
