News

Erwin Olaf Springveld

21 October 2024

We’re excited to announce the launch of Erwin's biography by Mischa Cohen on October 21, 2024. This detailed work, resulting from years of research and personal interviews, offers an authentic look at Erwin’s life and career. The biography will also be available in additional languages in 2025.

Studio Erwin Olaf is establishing the Foundation Erwin Olaf

September 2024

The Foundation aims to perpetuate Erwin’s activism.
Erwin was someone who didn't hold back in the public debate and fought for equality, freedom of speech, and diversity.
He was not only deeply involved in the queer community but advocated for many marginalized individuals and minorities.
In addition to supporting and funding projects that contribute to an emancipated and free society, the Foundation will form an educational pillar to support young creative students through grants, advice, and educational modules.
During his career Erwin collaborated extensively with students with a secondary vocational education (MBO) and recognized the craftsmanship and need for MBO graduates for Dutch society.

NOW | 'Bigger Than Life'

Hamiltons Gallery, London

It is a monumental celebration of the artist’s contribution to the visual arts, and of his long-term close friendship with Hamiltons Gallery.

15 November 2024 - 1 February 2025

NOW | 'Collections/Revelations'

In Nationalmusée um Fëschmaart, Luxembourg City

The presentation will  feature a wealth of new acquisitions from the past four years such as works by Erwin Olaf, on show for the very first time at the museum.

15 March 2024 - 15 March 2026

UPCOMING | Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam

Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam

The Stedelijk is organising an exhibition of the work of Erwin Olaf, which opens in autumn 2025. Organised in collaboration with Studio Erwin Olaf, it will be the first exhibition in the Netherlands of Erwin Olaf’s work since his sudden death last year.

11 October 2025 - February 2026

UPCOMING | 'In Motion, In Stillness'

Baró Galeria, Palma de Mallorca

The first posthumous exhibition dedicated to Erwin Olaf (Hilversum, 1959 – Amsterdam, 2023) at Baró Galeria pays tribute to an artist whose work redefined the way we perceive the body and its relationship with cultural and social codes.

Opening 23 November 2024

UPCOMING | 'Deep Beauty'

Mudec Museo Delle Culture, Milan

4 April 2025 - 25 May 2025

Erwin Olaf

KONG Gallery, Seoul

3 October 2024 - 2 November 2024

Erwin Olaf: Stages

Houk Gallery, New York

Edwynn Houk Gallery presents Erwin Olaf: Stages, an exhibition of key series centered on the concept of performance, a recurring theme in the artists four-decade career.

3 September 2024 - 26 October 2024

'Point of View'

In Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

This exhibition shows how ideas around gender are constantly changing over time, and how they have been expressed visually – in the form of an extravagantly decorative dragon-shaped gold toothpick, a Gispen desk, and a portrait of William III, Prince of Orange, wearing a dress.
5 july 2024 - 1 September 2024

'Erwin Olaf: Narratives of Emancipation, Desire and Intimacy'

In Centro Cultural De La Villa, Madrid

The exhibition Erwin Olaf: Narratives of Emancipation, Desire and Intimacy: will present in Madrid a large overview exhibition of Erwin Olaf's photos and video-installations.

10 May 2024 - 14 July 2024

The Medal of Honor for Art and Science presented to Erwin Olaf

His Majesty the King and Her Majesty Queen Máxima welcomed Erwin Olaf at Noordeinde Palace in The Hague. His Majesty the King then presented the Medal of Honor for Art and Science of the House Order of Orange to Erwin Olaf.

13 March 2023

'Erwin Olaf: A Vanishing World'

In Centro Niemeyer, Avilés

This exhibition at Centro Niemeyer, Avilés deals with the disorientation of the contemporary subject in a changing world.

12 July 2023 - 15 October 2023

Im Wald

In KONG Gallery, Seoul

Solo exhibition consisting of landscape photographs of Bavarian nature together with portrait photography from Im Wald series at KONG gallery in Seoul.

4 May 2023 - 3 June 2023

Erwin Olaf & Hans Op de Beeck: Inspired by Steichen

In Musée National d'Histoire et d'Art, Luxembourg

Marking the 50th anniversary of Edward Steichen’s death, this exciting project showcases the work of Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf (*1959) and Belgian visual artist Hans Op de Beeck (*1969).

16 December 2022 - 11 June 2023

Erwin Olaf Recent Works

In Galerie XII, Los Angeles

Considered as the most important Dutch photographer of his generation, Olaf is celebrated for his bold and sometimes controversial approach.

16 February 2023 - 31 May 2023

Dance in Close-Up

In Gallery Rabouan Moussion, Paris

Gallery Rabouan Moussion is bringing Dance in Close-Up series to Paris this winter. The latest series by Erwin Olaf honouring Hans van Manen.

29 October 2022 - 31 December 2022

Perfect Moment - Incomplete World in Taichung City, Taiwan

Erwin Olaf's series at National Taiwam Museum of Fine Arts

National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts will host an exhibition of Erwin Olaf works.

13 August 2022 - 27 November 2022

Flash Back in Mauritshuis, The Hague

Exhibition of 16 artworks for Mauritshuis

Sixteen top photographers – among them Erwin Olaf, Rineke Dijkstra, Anton Corbijn and Sanja Marušić – have produced new work inspired by the seventeenth-century paintings in the Mauritshuis collection.

1 June 2022 - 16 October 2022

Izzy Gallery in Toronto, Canada

Dance in Close-Up: Hans van Manen seen by Erwin Olaf

After a succesful first show at Ron Mandos Gallery in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dance in Close-Up series will be displayed at Izzy Gallery.

25 August 2022 - 16 October 2022

Erwin Olaf's works at The Armory Show in New York, USA

Erwin Olaf's series can be seen at Houk Gallery and Ron Mandos booth.

This Year on the display at The Armory Show in New York, USA.
Houk Gallery - Series Rain, 2004 and Waiting, 2014
Ron Mandos Gallery - Im Wald, 2020

9 September 2022 - 11 September 2022

Ron Mandos in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

Dance in Close-up: Hans van Manen seen by Erwin Olaf

To celebrate Hans van Manen's 90th birthday in 2022 Erwin Olaf created a serie of photographs and movies emphasizes the precision, passion and craftsmanship in Hans van Manen's ballet choreographies.

19 Juny 2022 - 24 July 2022

Perfect Moment - Incomplete World in Suwon, Korea

Special Selection at Suwon iPark Museum of Art

The magnificent Suwon iPark Museum of Art in South Korea held a solo show, with a beautiful selection of Erwin Olaf's entire oeuvre.

The Circus We Are in Namur, Belgium

Erwin Olaf's works displayed at The Circus We Are

Erwin Olaf series April Fool 2020 consisting of photographs and video installation can be seen in Namur, Belgium.

13 May 2022 - 25 September 2022

Paci Contemporary - Postponed!

Solo gallery exhibition

The solo exhibition in Paci Contemporary, originally scheduled for 21 March until 30 September 2020, has been postponed due to the outbreak of the covid-19 virus. Keep an eye on the website of Paci Contemporary for details concerning the new opening date.

Kunsthalle München

First German solo museum exhibition

In 2021 Kunsthalle München, Munich, will host the first solo exhibition by Erwin Olaf in a German museum. More information following soon.

The Black Diamond

Solo show in Denmark

In 2022 the Black Diamond in Copenhagen will host a solo show. Keep an eye on the website for details!

Gallery Kong - Seoul

Erwin Olaf - April Fool

As part of their 'Post Covid 19'- exhibition series Gallery Kong in Seoul, South Korea, will host a solo show centered around Erwin Olaf's newest series 'April Fool'. On display from September 1st to September 30th.

Izzy Gallery

Solo gallery exhibition 'Trilogy'

Izzy Gallery in Toronto, Canada, will host a solo show in 2020. Works from series 'Palm Springs', 'Berlin' and 'Shanghai' will be on display, amongst works from other series. From 27 April until 30 May.

Galerie Rabouan Moussion - April Fool

Solo gallery exhibition

The last moths of this year will see another solo show by Erwin Olaf, in Galerie Rabouan Moussion, Paris, France, with a focus on Erwin Olaf's latest series 'April Fool'.

Royal Stamps

Erwin Olaf's royal portraits on stamps

The portraits Erwin Olaf made from the Dutch Royal Family are now official stamps.  See the website (Dutch only) for more information.

Anniversary Solo exhibition at the Gemeente Museum and Photography Museum, The Hague

2019

In 2019 the Gemeente Museum The Hague, together with The Hague Museum of Photography, will host an anniversary solo exhibition. The exhibition is opened from 16 February until 12 May 2019.  Keep an eye on their (and our) websites for more information.

New book: ERWIN OLAF - I AM

Release date 16 Februari 2019

The book is published in 4 different languages: Dutch, English, French and German. Stay tuned for the book signings. Dutch (Hannibal Publishing) French (Hannibal Publishing) English (Aperture) German (Koenig Books)

Erwin Olaf - Xie Zilong Photography Museum (XPM)

6 July - 12 October 2019

We would like to announce that Erwin Olaf’s solo show from Shanghai Center of Photography (SCoP) will be exhibited at Xie Zilong Photography Museum (XPM) in Changsha, Hunam Province in June. You can find more about XPM on its website http://www.x-museum.com/web-wechat/index/index

Erwin Olaf - SCoP in Shanghai, China

Opening 2 March 2019

We would like to announce that Erwin Olaf will exhibit his works at the Shanghai Center of Photography in Shanghai, China. The exhibition will take place from 2 March till 30 May 2019.

Representation by Edwynn Houk Gallery 

We are excited to announce that Edwynn Houk Gallery in New York - USA will represent Erwin Olaf. The gallery will present the US premiere of Olaf’s most recent series Palm Springs with a selection of photographs at The Armory Show, booth 918 on Pier 94 from 7 to 10 March. Followed by a solo gallery exhibition opening on 25 April 2019

Rijksmuseum shows key works in solo show

Summer 2019

This year the Rijksmuseum will show a selection of the 500 key works they acquired in a solo show, thus adding a third venue to the already impressive exhibition series planned for 2019.

Rijksmuseum acquires core collection Erwin Olaf

25 May 2018

We are tremendously proud to announce that the famous Dutch Rijksmuseum acquired around 500 works from Erwin Olaf's core collection. From vintage prints to posters and films, spanning around 40 years of artistic works.

New official royal portraits

Released 27 April

After a two successful series of portraits of the royal queen and the three princesses, Erwin Olaf was asked to shoot the new official royal portraits, of the entire royal family. They were released on the king’s birthday, 27 April. More portraits from this series can be seen here.

Vogue Like a Painting

Kunstforeningen GL STRAND

Vogue Like a Paiting explores the relationship between fashion photography and fine arts through a selection of images from the archives of Vogue magazine. Taken by leading names in classical fashion photography and the most prominent photographers of the past decade. Erwin Olaf is accomanied by photographers like Nick Knight and Annie Leibovitz.  5 may until 2 september 2018 at Kunstforeningen GL STRAND in Copenhagen Denmark

Portraits Queen Máxima and Princesses

Groninger Museum

Because of the Royal visit to Groningen, the series of portraits by Erwin Olaf of Queen Máxima and her daughters can be seen in the Groninger Museum. The photos will be shown from 26 April to 17 May in the entrance hall. This is accessible without a museum admission ticket.

Shifting Metropolises part II - Shanghai

New work

In March 2018 Erwin Olaf released his most recent series 'Shanghai', the second part in his trilogy 'Shifting Metropolises'.

Museu da Imagem e do Som

Multimedia retrospective

The Brazilian Museum of Image and Sound (Museu da Imagem e do Som) will host a large multimedia retrospective. From 10 March until 8 April this year films and photographs from series like 'Separation' (2003), 'Wet' (2005) and 'The Awakening' (2016) are on display, amongst many others.

Hannibal, Aperture, Éditions Xavier Barral and Prestel

2019 - New retrospective book

Publishers Hannibal, Aperture, Éditions Xavier Barral and Prestel will join forces to release a new retrospective book of Erwin Olaf in 2019.

New portraits queen and princesses

1 October 2017 - 14 January 2018

Erwin Olaf released his new portraits of Queen Máxima of the Netherlands and  of the three Dutch princesesses in Museum Jan Cunen (Dutch only), for the opening of the exhibition 'Women of Orange - Portraits of five queens'.

Hangaram Art Museum

24 June 2017 - 8 October 2017

This magnificent exhibition, with works by Irving Penn, Annie Leibovitz, Tim Walker and Erwin Olaf among many others, is travelling. Next stop: Hangaram Art Museum in Seoul Arts Center.

Espoo Museum of Modern Art

12 October 2016 - 8 January 2017

Work by Erwin Olaf is featured in the group exhibition 'In Search of the Present' at EMMA, Finland.

McNay Art Museum

28 September - 15 January 2017

Works by Erwin Olaf are featured alongside works by artists including Nan Goldin, Paul Graham, Alex Prager, Jeff Wall and others in the group show 'Telling Tales: Contemporary Narrative Photography'.

Instituto Cultural Peruano Norte Americano

2019

Instituto Cultural Peruano Norte Americano announces it will host an Erwin Olaf solo exhibition in 2019.

After Rodin - Groninger Museum

19 November 2016 - 30 April 2017

"Erwin Olaf honours Rodin with these series of photographs, made especially for Groninger Museum. The poses are inspired by iconic sculptures of the artist, but are not literal quotations. The softness of the light and the details of the setting refer to his work."

Recent Acquisitions

Works by Erwin Olaf have been acquired by Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Malága, Musée d'Art Moderne Grand-Duc Jean, Luxembourg, Musée National d'Historie et d'Art, Luxembourg, HSBC Collection USA, Musem Arnhem, The Netherlands, and Koo Museum, South Korea.

New Work - 'L'Éveil'

1 October 2016

Erwin Olaf's newest work, a 30-channel video projection, will be shown for the first time on Hotel de Ville during Nuit Blance Paris, curated by Jean de Loisy (Director of Palais de Tokyo). Other artists on display during Nuit Blanche Paris are, amongst others, Matthew Barney and Anish Kapoor. Check this site for more information (French only).

'Waiting' live at Nuit Blanche Toronto

1 October 2016

Erwin Olaf's installation 'Waiting, Shenzhen' will be shown at Nuit Blanche Toronto on eight screens, with the score performed live, curated by Paco Barragan. Other artists showing are, amongst others, Bill Viola and Rebecca Belmore. Detailed information about the screening and performing of 'Waiting' at QRC West can be found here.

Museum Koo, Seoul, shows 'The Keyhole'

Permanent display

The brand new Koo House, Museum of Art & Design Collection, has acquired Erwin Olaf's installation 'The Keyhole', now on permanent display.

National Art Gallery

1 September - 22 October 2016, Sofia, Bulgaria

The National Art Gallery in Sofia, Bulgaria hosts a solo exhibtion by Erwin Olaf, with the four series 'Blacks', 'Grief', 'Dusk' and 'Dawn', during the annual photography festival Fotofabrika.

Museum Arnhem

2016

Museum Arnhem, The Netherlands, has acquired Erwin Olaf's installation 'Waiting, Shenzhen'.

K11 Art Foundation

Opening 9 September

The K11 Art Foundation hosts a group exhibition centered around women's indepence, with works by Erwin Olaf, Ekaterina Anokhina and Anastasia Potemkina, amongst others. Curated by Magda Danysz.

The McNay Art Museum - 'Telling Tales: Contemporary Narrative Photography'

28 September 2016 - 15 January 2017

A selection from the series 'Berlin', 'Grief' and 'Hope' will be shown in a group exhibition at The McNay Art Museum, San Antonio, USA, in autumn 2016. Other exhibited artists are, among others, Philip-Lorca diCorcia and Gregory Crewdson.

Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Finland - 'In Search of the Present'

12 October 2016 - 8 January 2017

The Espoo Museum of Modern Art, EMMA in short, is about to launch a new series of exhibitions called 'In Search of the Present'. In the first edition of these interesting exhibitions works from Erwin Olaf's series 'Berlin' are shown. On display from October. Keep an eye on the website of the museum for more information.

Kunstpalais Erlangen - Evil Clowns_Reloaded

24 April - 26 June 2016

The renowed Kunstpalais Erlangen made an exhibition exploring "...the often disquieting figure of the clown...", in which no less than six portraits from series 'Paradise The Portraits' (2001) are shown. Other selected artists are Pussy Riot, Cindy Sherman, Jeffrey Vallance and Jake and Dinos Chapman, among many others. See the website for more information.

CAC Málaga - Cell of Emotions

29 January - 1 May 2016

The Centro de Arte Contemporaneo de Málaga organises a solo exhibition by Erwin Olaf, opening 29 January, closing 1 May 2016. Photographs and multimedia installations from series 'Berlin', 'Keyhole', 'Grief' and 'Hope' will be on display.

Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam - 'Catwalk - Fashion at the Rijksmuseum'

20 February - 15 May 2016

For the first time the Rijksmuseum presents a large selection of its diverse fashion collection in an exhibition designed by world-renowed Dutch artist Erwin Olaf.

The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow - 'Erwin Olaf. Homage to Louis Gallait'

24 February - 20 April 2016

Works by Erwin Olaf from series 'Les Dernier Hosneurs Rendus Aux Infortunes Illustrisismes Comtes D'Egmont Et De Horne', made in 2012 for the Gaasbeek Castle (Belgium), will be shown alongside the original paintings in The Pushkin State Museum of Fine Arts, from 24 February to 20 April 2016.

Museum Kranenburgh, Bergen, The Netherlands, 'Silence Out Loud'

15 December 2015 - 12 June 2016

The installation 'Waiting, Shenzhen', made by Erwin Olaf in 2014, will be exhibited in a group show titled 'Silence Out Loud' curated by the late writer Joost Zwagerman in Museum Kranenburgh (website in Dutch only), opening 15 December, closing 12 June 2016. Also on display will be works from, among others, Marlene Dumas, Luc Tuymans and Rineke Dijkstra.

ICPNA, Lima, Peru - solo exhibition

2019

The Instituto Cultural Peruano Norteamericano organises a solo exhibition by Erwin Olaf, sometime in 2019. Keep an eye on their website for more information.

Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Rosario, Argentina - solo exhibition

8 May - 27 July 2015

Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Rosario (Argentina), MACRO in short, takes over the baton from MAC in Santiago de Chile, for the second leg of Erwin Olaf's tour in South America. Keep an eye on the website (Spanish only) for more information.

'Erwin Olaf: Empire Of Illusion' nominated for Best New Media International Exhibition

6 September - 9 November 2014

The exhibition 'Erwin Olaf: EL IMPERIO DE LA ILUSIÓN ' in Museo de Arte Contemporáneo, Santiago de Chile, is nominated for Best New Media International Exhibition! Images from the exhibition during the opening can be seen here.

Memory Lab. Photography Challenges History

16 October - 16 November 2014

During the European Month of Photography there will not only be art by Erwin Olaf on display in Berlin, but also in Vienna. The MUSA (Museum Start-Gallery Artothek) in Vienna, one of the partner cities of the European Month of Photography, will also show works by Erwin Olaf.

Society of Arts

23 April 2014

The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences recently launched the Netherlands' new Society of Arts. Among the nineteen members, all leading Dutch artists working in every discipline, is Erwin Olaf. More information about this society can be found here.

Whangarei Art Museum

June - July 2015

The Whangarei Art Museum, or WAM, in Northland, New Zealand, is organising an exhibition with works by Erwin Olaf. Opening June / July 2015.

Modem Hungary - solo exhibition

From 11 October

MODEM in Debrecen, Hungary, will host a solo exhibition by Erwin Olaf, on display from 11 October. See the website for more information.

New Erwin Olaf book by Aperture

Fall 2014

We are very proud to announce that the Aperture Foundation will publish another book by Erwin Olaf. Keep an eye on the website for more information. The book is to be released this autumn.

Empire of Illusion

From 5 September till 30 November

Paco Barragán curated a solo exhibition titled 'Empire of Illusion' in the Museum of Contemporary Art in Santiago, Chile.

Entrepreneur 4.0

From 24 May on

From 24 May the WITTENSTEIN Innovation Factory will display the nominees for the ENTREPRENEUR 4.0 Award, among whom is Erwin Olaf, with a selection of his carbon prints from series 'Berlin'.

Memory Lab: The sentimental Turn at Martin Gropius Bau, Berlin

17 October - 15 December, 2014

Erwin Olaf is selected to participate in the central exhibition of the 6th European Month of Photography in Berlin this year, in Martin Gropius Bau. The exhibition is called 'Memory Lab: The Sentimental Turn'. Keep an eye on the website for more information.

Erwin Olaf - Chronicle of the Untold

29 April - 15 July 2014

We are very proud to announce Cermodern will, for the second time, host an exhibition by Erwin Olaf. The exhibition will travel, and a second venue is to be announced later.

New design for the national side of the Dutch euro coin

After months of working in secret we are very, very proud to announce that Erwin Olaf's designs have been selected for the new national side of the Dutch euro coins! Release will be early next year. A still can be found here.

Mudac - Nirvana

29 October 2014 - 19 April 2015

Erwin Olaf's series 'Separation' will feature in the group exhibition 'Nirvana', in Musée de Design et D'arts Appliqués Contemporains (MUDAC) in Lausanne, Switzerland. Keep an eye on the website for more information.