Born in Hilversum in the Netherlands in 1959, Erwin Olaf has been living and working in Amsterdam since the early 80’s. His current studio is situated in a former church hall.

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.

erwinolaf.com

Nous n’avions pas vu autant de monde depuis longtemps se déplacer pour admirer des photos…d’Erwin Olaf, Yeleen Lee, Rousse, Darzacq, Luxereau, L’espace d’exposition est décomposé en différentes salles aussi vastes et variées les unes que les autres.

Le fan de photo de que je suis (merci Papa) avait les yeux grand ouvert, la larme à l’oeil souvent en admirant les travaux de maitres tels que Denis Darzacq et ses chorégraphies consuméristes !

Un gros coup de coeur pour Yeleen Lee

Vous ne pouvez pas zapper ce salon, au risque de vous en mordre les doigts, le lieu est magnifique, nous avons fait le plein de nouvelles adresses (Berlin, New York, Rome, …) à visiter, mon seul regret est de ne pouvoir y retourner pour voir Christophe Luxereau et Denis Darzacq présent cet après midi sur le stand de Filigranes.

Le reste des photos est sur mon FLICKR

]]> http://evidentfuture.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/erwin-olaf-photography/ Wed, 18 Nov 2009 04:14:37 +0000 evidentfuture http://evidentfuture.wordpress.com/2009/11/18/erwin-olaf-photography/

Via: Kanye Blog

El pronóstico meteorológico del domingo anunciaba lluvia, con lo cual ir a DA2 a ver Darts of Pleasure 1984-2009, la primera exposición restrospectiva en España de Erwin Olaf, sonaba más que prometedor. DA2 es un centro contemporáneo de arte  construido sobre una antigua cárcel provincial, y aunque el edificio fue remodelado  para acoger exposiciones, algunos aspectos originales  aún subsisten.

No había nadie en las salas, con lo cual recorrer la muestra fue todo un lujo. La exposición, que abarca series fotográficas, videoinstalaciones y películas, es absolutamente impactante. En primer lugar, sus puestas en escena, que han sido planificadas hasta el más mínimo detalle, revisten una complejidad narrativa que sitúa a sus obras en un espacio difícil de catalogar: para los críticos son “suspensiones espacio-temporales de la imagen fija” que se entrecruzan con el flujo narrativo del cine. Más allá de que  uno podría preguntarse si esto, aparte de ser un juego inteligente de palabras, no sería extensible a cualquier fotografía, lo cierto es que la obra no permite espectadores indiferentes. Fascina por su depurado uso de las técnicas digitales, por su formato, y por una extraña mezcla de clacisimo, neobarroco y la construcción de escenas sin tiempo.

En segundo lugar, la mirada del erotismo, el consumismo y las relaciones de dominación atraviesa la obra integrando un conjunto de series heterogéneas y distanciadas estética e históricamente entre sí que de otra manera aparecerían como inconexas.

Olaf retrata en gran formato y de una manera muy idiosincrática. Ver una retrospectiva así ayuda a entender las modas que se reproducen luego en múltiples lugares, incluido Buenos Aires. Hasta cierto punto pareciera haber una corriente en fotografía que entrecruza la historia de la pintura, el clacisimo, y la imagen digital a través de remakes de escenas y/o pinturas de artistas como Velázquez o Vermeer.

En contra del pronóstico, el domingo se vió beneficiado de un sol cálido, interrumpido sólo de a ratos por el paso de nubes achatadas que revestían la forma de un yunque. Quizás por eso la gente no asistió a la vieja prisión, donde una veterana obra artística encontraba escasos ojos que le inyectaran instantes de vida.

EXTREME NUDITY FOLLOWS!

 These photos are by stunning photographer Erwin Olaf. Most famous for his works “Grief”, “Rain”, and “Royal Blood” Erwin is definitely not one to shy away from controversy. There are some crazy ideas in his works but all of them are amazing, digitally this guy is one of the masters he knows how to flip Photoshop like the back of his hand.

I love the fact that he’s so daring with his work. Unlike any other nudist photographers theres something about Erwin that you cant find anywhere else.

Me loves it!!

IMG|SOURCE: ErwinOlaf

Erwin Olaf, the Dutch photographer make a series for sadness. These photos look really amazing, i like them very much. Sadness is common…

The photography course that I’m taking this year assigned us to shoot a typology project. These photos below are from Erwin Olaf’s Grief serie, were shown as an example for our typology project.

Wait for mine. Muchos bises!

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Photographer Erwin Olaf’s provocative, controversial and often dark photos are perfect for this time of year when design, fantasy and play come to life for Halloween.

{erwin olaf photography via if it’s hip it’s here}

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Skilled photographer, videographer, performer and friend, Peter Diablow is an important part of Domina Productions and if you’ve seen the photography for our first 5 digital releases, you’ll understand why. I’ve asked Peter some questions, and he’s answered them, so here they are:

Ayden: How did you first get into photographing in the fetish scene?

Peter Diablow: When I started as a digital photographer about 7 years ago, I was in college in America and I mainly shot gothic girls. Through the goth scene in Boston (US) and the Manray club, I was introduced to fetish as they had fetish nights every once in awhile. Whilst in Boston in 2003, I got a chance to shoot Dita von Teese, but it wasn’t until I moved to New York in 2005 that I really started to shoot fetish girls and attend fetish parties. I was a house photographer there at the infamous Pandora’s Box, the biggest dungeon in NYC for about a year. When I returned to Amsterdam in 2007, after 5 years in the US, my reputation had preceded me and I was able to infiltrate the Dutch scene.

What impression did you get of the burlesque/fetish icon, Dita von Teese?

We just hit off. She’s a wonderfull person to work with, very professional and I don’t think she can ever look bad in pictures.

You are a resident at most of the fetish parties in Amsterdam, which do you favor and why?

Every party has it’s charm. Right now, it’s Boudoir Bizarre. They have the best audience in my opinion, as well as top acts which also take part in the annual B.I.T.C.H. festival. I also like the CLINIC party since they put the most effort into making their parties perfect for both the performers and the crowd…a great party to get properly introduced to the fetish crowd.

As a Domina Productions photographer you are helping to educate the electronic scene with the fetish aesthetic…do you think it is a worthwhile effort?

The aesthetic is the most important thing. The fetish scene is usually limited to commerical and hard house for half of its crowd and industrial goth music for the other. I don’t see why someone who likes other types of electronic music can’t enjoy their music at a fetish party. The stereotype sound currently associated with fetish parties results in people becoming submissive to the trend.  If they won’t go fetish, we can bring fetish to them.

For other photographers out there that want to be part of the Domina Productions crew, what advice do you have regarding taking fetish photography?

I think everyone should just let their own vision reign. In the fetish world, being unique really counts… but tits/ass shots work well too as long as it has class and style.

Which photographers do you respect the most and why?

I prefer film and music directors such as Dario Argento, Shinya Tsukamoto and Floria Sigismondi (who is also a photographer). Film lighting is so much more vivid then photography lighting. There are of course some photographers that I admire. Natasha Epperson and Blueblood.net inspired me towards digital photography as well as the early work of Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf which I find to be truely amazing.

You’ve put together the now infamous Blood Squad. Who are its members and what are some of the highlights of your performances so far?

The Bloodsquad was put together by Dutch fetish model Amarantha La Blanche and myself in 2007. Along with my girlfriend Mari Kitten and Manyu, we crashed parties and painted them red with fake blood. We loved being the crazy bloodspitting weirdo’s. We referred to ourselves as being “snood”, which became the squad’s motto “Snood to the Dood”, roughly translated: “Vile ’till the death”. In late 2008, we decided to put our talent to good use. The girls are great dancers and have a sick fetish for blood and gore so we combined the elements of horror and fetish and began doing our own shows. Since then we have performed at the top fetish parties in Holland (along with our special guest member Miss Suzn), as well as collaborative performances with international industrial bands and walkaround acts for commercial companies such as CCP/White Wolf Computer Games. You can check out our website at www.official-bloodsquad.com

What are your near future upcoming events/plans/projects?

I have a lot up my sleave. I’m constantly creating photographs (of horrific & fetish nature), setting up exhibits for 2010 and performing as an actor on stage with the bloodsquad. I also shoot videos for projection at big fetish/kinky parties such as Wasteland and Crazyland. I’d like to do more film work  and make some short films, as well as movies for internet TV. I’m currently sponsored by a fetish party in Germany called Odi Et Amo, and I also produce music under my alias Joran van der Snood.

Final note for readers?

Ignorance and arrogance kill more cats than curiosity ever will.

Model credits in corresponding order: Xarah Von Den Vielenregen, MoniQue, Déna Massque, Mari Kitten & Miss Mirjana, Dita Von Teese.

To see more of Peter Diablow’s work you can visit his site at: www.darkmindedangels.com

]]> http://mariagimenez.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/erwin-olaf-2/ Thu, 22 Oct 2009 00:08:46 +0000 mariagimenez http://mariagimenez.wordpress.com/2009/10/22/erwin-olaf-2/ http://edwinkettelerij.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/photographs-of-erwin-olaf/ Sun, 11 Oct 2009 17:51:35 +0000 Edwin Kettelerij http://edwinkettelerij.wordpress.com/2009/10/11/photographs-of-erwin-olaf/

Candy

Some great work of Erwin Olaf

Meal

Watch the composition!

Recently I discovered Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf for the second time. The first time I saw his work was in the eighties. I remember pictures of people with metal hooks through their bodies, a princess Di lookalike with a bloody tattoo, and lots of nudity. I didn’t think it was that interesting because the pictures all seemed to be made just to shock, like so many Dutch artists seem to be doing. But somehow I found his website and was pleasantly surprised: the shock factor has gone, his photographes are less  “in your face” and have a certain tragic, mysterious atmosphere. I think they look fantastic.

Grief:

Laboral Escena:

Hope:

Dusk:

Dawn:

More info on www.erwinolaf.com

Erwin Olaf – On Beauty and Fall, door Michiel van Erp.

Erwin Olaf - 50 Years Old

Als je hem net als ik gister avond en op het filmfestival gemist hebt heb je nu geluk!
De docu film over Nederlands trots Erwin Olaf staat nu op uitzending gemist.

Ook nog 2 dagen te zien op zijn expo in de Flatland Gallery in Utrecht.

Erwin Olaf’s series, “We Fight, We Dance”, underscores what fascinates me most about dancing: the extreme physicality that lies underneath the grace and beauty seen up on stage. The pieces were commissioned for the Nederlands Dans Theater, a performance group started to have a modern dance outlet separate from the more classical Dutch National Ballet. I think the tone of the photographs perfectly suit the group’s philosophy. Here is dance without the trappings, just the realities of sweat and muscles. I also find the photographs grotesquely beautiful, in line with Olaf’s usual subversive tone. Overall, I think these might be some of my favourite pictures of dancers.

Bit of photography by Erwin Olaf just to pass the time. (Top 3 photos from the series ‘Blacks’  Bottom 2 from ‘Royal Blood’)

having a good time being stoned.

Mais qui est-il ? Tour à tour photographe de pub, de mode, d’art, ou journaliste, il se fond dans l’univers qu’il photographie… le revoici à Paris pour une nouvelle exposition…

Ce photographe néerlandais se passionne pour l’image en mouvement, en témoigne son film “Tadzio”, en 1991. L’Allemagne lui offre son premier prix de photographie, puis il s’expose au musée Ludwig de Cologne, au Kunsthal de Rotterdam, au Chelsea art museum de New-York et à la maison européenne de la Photographie (MEP) à Paris.

La Galerie Magda Danysz, présente en avant première mondiale la dernière série d’Erwin Olaf rendant hommage aux oeuvres des peintres espagnoles.

Mais cette exposition est aussi l’occasion de revenir sur les oeuvres phares telles que Mature et Paradise.

Je suis fan de son Univers.

Je vous laisse lire l’excellent article d’Alain TRUONG, présent lors du vernissage, qui a fait un réel travail de recherche pour recouper les photographies d’ Erwin Olaf et les œuvres des Maîtres espagnoles.