Erwin Olaf and the Groninger Museum
đź“… Now until Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Erwin Olaf and the Groninger Museum are inextricably linked. In honor and remembrance of the influential photographer—who passed away on September 20, 2023, at the age of 64—the museum has dedicated a special space to his work. This collection exhibition features a selection from the extensive collection of Olaf’s photographs owned by the Groninger Museum. Among them are images from the series Mature (1999) and Tinkerbell’s Friends (1989).
Mature (1999)
In this series, Erwin Olaf portrays ten women as 1950s pin-ups. Through these striking images, he challenges prevailing beauty standards and the media’s obsession with youth and thinness. Mature serves as a bold and playful statement against the glorification of a one-dimensional ideal of beauty.
Tinkerbell’s Friends (1989)
During the 1980s, a new movement emerged in Dutch photography—staged, theatrical still lifes created in the studio. Olaf became one of the leading photographers in this genre. In Tinkerbell’s Friends, he brings a fairytale-like dream world to life, where every detail—from the models and accessories to the lighting—contributes to an almost surreal atmosphere.
Erwin Olaf and the Groninger Museum
Olaf began his career in the 1980s as a photojournalist but soon evolved into a master of studio photography. Themes such as sexuality, transience, and the power of humor and sarcasm are recurring elements throughout his work.
His international breakthrough came in 1987-1988 with the series Chessmen, exhibited at the Groninger Museum. In 2003, the museum hosted Silver, a successful retrospective showcasing 25 years of his work. In 2016, he created a special photo series of the Dutch National Ballet for the Groninger Museum, inspired by the sculptures of Auguste Rodin.
"I would find it unfortunate if no attempt were made after my death to see if I could belong to the immortals. But if that doesn’t happen, no hard feelings."
– Erwin Olaf
Header image: Tinkerbell's Friends VII - Erwin Olaf
