Through 12 May 2019, two simultaneous exhibitions at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag and the Fotomuseum Den Haag celebrate the work of Erwin Olaf, one of the Netherlands’ most famous photographers. Olaf, who most recently achieved widespread acclaim with his portraits of the Dutch Royal Family, will turn sixty this year.

Fotomuseum Den Haag will focus on the photographer’s love of his craft, and his transition from analogue photojournalism to digital image-making and storytelling. At the same time, Gemeentemuseum Den Haag presents a selection of works spanning from the year 2000 to the artist’s most recent projects – including images taken in Shanghai and his newest series, Palm Springs, which will be showcased for the first time. The exhibition at the Gemeentemuseum Den Haag will take the form of installations, combining photographs, video, audio and sculpture. Together, the two venues present the most comprehensive retrospective of Erwin Olaf’s work to date.

Born 1959 in Hilversum, Netherlands, Erwin Olaf is an artist who seeks to move beyond a mere documentation of reality. His mesmerising images convey the unspoken and overlooked – depicting social undercurrents, taboos and bourgeois conventions in a highly stylised and skilfully nuanced manner. Olaf’s work has been integrated in numerous international collections and museum exhibitions. In 2011, he was honoured with the prestigious Johannes Vermeer Award; in 2018, the Rijksmuseum Amsterdam acquired 500 of the artist’s photographs and videos for its holdings.

For further information visit: Gemeentemuseum Den Haag/Fotomuseum Den Haag