Erwin Olaf Springveld: Hard werken, hard feesten
Mischa Cohen
Arbeiderspers, 2024
€49,95
1.260 / 5.000
It came as a shock when Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf (1959-2023) died unexpectedly last year while recovering from a lung transplant. In the eighties and nineties, he became known for his extravagant, sometimes sexually explicit photos. He was inspired by Robert Mapplethorpe, Hans van Manen and Paul Blanca and found his muses in the Amsterdam discotheque Club RoXY. Later, he developed from rebellious avant-gardist to celebrated artist. Hundreds of thousands visited his exhibitions, from The Hague to Shanghai. In doing so, he remained true to himself as the creator of his own universe, who fought tirelessly for the rights of the queer community.
A progressive lung disease made Erwin Olaf want to put his legacy in order and collaborate on this book about his life and work. ‘I don’t have to come out great. But I do want it to be right.’ Mischa Cohen followed Erwin Olaf for years and was given access to his archive and to his life. He spoke to lovers, friends, colleagues, gallery owners, curators, muses and family, and attended photo shoots. Together they selected photos from his oeuvre and private life. And finally there were the last, emotional meetings in a sterile hospital room. IN DUTCH!
ISBN: 9789029541916