Erwin Olaf
Apolonia
2008
Fuji chrystal archive digital paper
80 × 60 cm
Ed./10
Location: Paris, France
Arianee token ID
57330329
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About the artwork
Erwin Olaf's full-length portrait of a woman is a veritable nod to ancient painting. More precisely, this photograph revisits Francisco de Zurbarán's "Sainte Apolline", an oil on canvas by the Spanish school from the second quarter of the 17th century, on display at the Musée du Louvre. From the attire to the positioning, the artist took over the entire composition, adding in the background the linear, receding perspective inherited from Renaissance theories. He also renamed the work, transforming Sainte Apolline into Apolonia.
Expert opinion
In the manner of a history painting, Erwin Olaf demonstrates his mastery of art history by reinterpreting a 17th-century work in photography.
About the artist
Erwin Olaf (1959 - 2023) is a Dutch photographer. His work borrows from the codes of both photojournalism and fashion photography, which he has mastered to perfection. In 1988, the photographer was awarded the Young European Photographer prize for his Chessmen series, marking his entry onto the international scene. Preferring to work in series, the artist tells tragic or sordid stories, constructing them through strong contrasts between photographed subjects, lights and objects. His work has been the subject of group and solo exhibitions worldwide, including at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, the Bilbao Art Center and the Museum of Modern Art in Moscow.
“I create a highly stylized appearance in my photographs that draws the viewer in... once they are "baited" by the "beauty", I hope they understand the second message or concept of [...] each series.”
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