Biography

Erwin Olaf (Erwin Olaf Springveld) is a Dutch photographer.

Olaf studied journalism at the School of Journalism in Utrecht after finishing school. As a photographer he has worked for advertising campaigns of international companies such as Levi’s, Microsoft and Nokia. Many of his photographic works are provocative and attract attention in the international media. Exhibitions of Olaf’s photographs have been held in various international galleries worldwide, such as Flatland Gallery in Utrecht, WAGNER + PARTNER Gallery in Berlin, Hasted Hunt in New York City, Magda Danysz Gallery in Paris, Espacio Minimo Gallery in Madrid, B&D Gallery in Milan, Miller Gallery in New York City, Crown Gallery in Brussels, Reflex Gallery in Amsterdam, etc.

Olaf also has exhibitions in many art museums worldwide, such as the Moscow Museum of Modern Art in Moscow, the FotoMuseum Provincie Antwerpen, the Groninger Museum, Domus Artium 2002 (DA2) Salamanca, the Spanish Museum of New Art in Pontiac, the Bologna Museum of Modern Art, at the Muzeum Miejskie Wrocławia in Wroclaw, the Cultuurlaboratorium at the Limburg Museum in Venlo, the Institut Neerlandais in Paris, the Arts Statements Gallery in Hong Kong, Galleri Tapper-Popermajer in Teckomatorp, the Fotomuseum Den Haag, the Australian Centre for Photography in Paddington etc.

Olaf has designed the Dutch euro coins issued since 2014 with the head image of King Willem-Alexander.

In 2004, Olaf was selected for the list De Grootste Nederlander on Dutch television. On 31 October 2011 he received the Dutch Johannes Vermeerprijs, which is endowed with 100,000 euros.