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Erwin Olaf: Freedom

Stedelijk Museum
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Brief Description
Erwin Olaf: Freedom offers a grand overview of the visionary photographer's oeuvre, highlighting his bold imagery, activism, and unseen final works. Olaf's work explored themes of sexuality, transience, vulnerability, and activism. This book, launching alongside a major Stedelijk Museum exhibition, provides a fresh perspective on his... Read More
Format: Hardback
$14700

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Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Erwin Olaf: Freedom offers a grand overview of the visionary photographer's oeuvre, highlighting his bold imagery, activism, and unseen final works.

Olaf's work explored themes of sexuality, transience, vulnerability, and activism. This book, launching alongside a major Stedelijk Museum exhibition, provides a fresh perspective on his artistic legacy, including unseen works created during his final years.

A tireless advocate for equal rights, Olaf's photography captured the beauty and struggles of marginalised communities—queer individuals, people of colour, those with disabilities, and the everyday person. His final pieces, including Self-Portrait with Lungs (2023), reveal an even deeper personal and artistic reckoning.

With striking imagery and personal insights, Erwin Olaf: Freedom is a powerful tribute to an artist who redefined contemporary photography and left behind a legacy of beauty, defiance, and humanity.

Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9789493416185

Publisher: Hannibal Books

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 30 October 2025

Country: Belgium

Imprint: Hannibal Books

Illustration: Illustrated in colour and black and white throughout

Contributors:

  • Text by Hans Ulrich Obrist
  • Text by Hans van Manen
  • Text by Rein Wolfs e.a.

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 290.0mm

Height: 310.0mm

Weight: 3200g

Pages: 384

Collections

Arts & Culture Non-Fiction

About the Author

Erwin Olaf was an internationally exhibiting artist whose diverse practice centered around society's marginalized individuals, including women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community. In 2019 Olaf became a Knight of the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands after 500 works from his oeuvre were added to the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Taco Dibbits, Rijksmuseum director, called Olaf "one of the most important photographers of the final quarter of the 20th century".

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