Erwin Olaf

Light

Light by Erwin Olaf was created in 2015 when the Dutch artist and photographer visited Reims for the first time. He was impressed by the Maison Ruinart chalk cellars, which have been recently classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and agreed to collaborate with the Maison to create this new photo series.
In the same manner as the famous masters of the 20th century, such as the artist Picasso and the photographer Brassaï, Olaf was inspired by the unique natural imprints found on the cellar walls; traces of human labor and amusing drawings by unknown authors. These discoveries can be compared with the works of prehistoric art. Eccentric, provocative, and ironic can all describe the photographer’s figurative language. But in this series, Olaf speaks of a more delicate aesthetic, like an abstract play of light and shadows. These photographs are unlike his previous art projects. World renowned for his photos depicting elaborate theater productions or sometimes scandalous advertisements, these black-and-white prints presented another side of Olaf’s art. As a rule, the titles of his series are metaphorical. Light is a kind of flashback to the beginnings of photography, a homage to the art of drawing with light.