Time Through The Lens: Erwin Olaf

One of the fascinating things about following an artist’s career is charting the evolution of their work as they mature and explore new frontiers. For me, Erwin Olaf ranks high on the list of notable photographers who have shown compelling development as artists. As a young, gay photographer, Olaf explored the energy of the 80’s and 90’s, playing with the ideas of age, gender, and sexual fantasy. This first phase of his career produced wonderfully imaginative and evocative series, including the gothic Chessmen (1988) and amazingly detailed Blacks (1990) series.

After a hiatus from his early photographic career, he returned to the camera in his forties to explore more mature themes and with a markedly different stylistic approach. Aperture Foundation has recently released a new collection of this work in a self-titled book that spans a number of series, including his well-received Rain, Hope, Grief, and Le Dernier Cri series. Calling on the iconic imagery of American artist Norman Rockwell, Olaf applies his matured, modern perspective, filtered through a contemporary perception of the loss of cultural innocence, giving rise to images that are profoundly affecting in their despair and loneliness.

Included with the book is a DVD with a collection of five short videos produced by Olaf in a style similar to his still images. The short entitled Wet is sure to get your heart racing, as it tracks a voyeuristic mature woman transfixed by the beauty of a young, showering male. Olaf toys with the viewer, playing with expectations for the outcome of each interaction and showing us that things are not always what they seem to be.

Check out more of Erwin Olaf’s work, including his older series, at his website and if your interest is piqued grab the recent book and check out the photos and short videos yourself.