Presentation of the latest photo series by Erwin Olaf reffering to classical painting masters as Velazquez, El Greco or Zurbaran. In his four most recent series Rain, Hope, Grief and Fall, Erwin Olaf returns to classic imagery with minimal computer retouching. Video and film offer new possibilities to explore for the artist. The show also presents earlier series of the dutch master at photography as Mature and Paradise.
Mixing photojournalism with studio photography, Olaf emerged in the international art scene in 1988 when his series 'Chessmen' was awarded the first prize in the Young European Photographer competition. This award was followed by an exhibition at the Ludwig Museum in Cologne, Germany. Since then Olaf has continued to explore issues of gender, sensuality, humor, despair and grace in each successive series.
Printing his early work in documentary style black-and-white, he first gradually introduced color and then digital manipulation. There is great contrast between each series. Mature (1999): golden-hued portraits of elderly women in the poses of kittenish supermodels; Fashion Victims (2000): a lewd commentary on the consumerism of sex and designer labels; Royal Blood (2000): minimalist white-on-white portraits, depicting the vengeful nature of members of the aristocracy who have suffered unsavory deaths; Paradise (2001): picturing a dark and baroque underworld of gleeful clowning and lunacy; Separation (2003) portraying an ice cold and introverted family in a sterile living room.
In his four most recent series Rain, Hope, Grief and Fall, Erwin Olaf returns to classic imagery with minimal computer retouching. Video and film offer new possibilities to explore for this exceptional artist. Lately with his 'Laboral Escenal series Erwin Olaf explores the link between photography and classical painting as his pictures are inspired by classical masterpieces from Zurbaran and alikes.
Opening saturday September 12th, 2009 from 6 to 9 PM
Galerie Magda Danysz
78, rue Amelot, Paris
Open from tuesday to friday from 11AP to 7PM
and saturdays from 2 to7PM
free entry