Erwin Olaf & Hans Op de Beeck – Inspired by Steichen

Published to mark the 50th anniversary of Edward Steichen’s death, this book presents the work of two eminent contemporary artists, the Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf (b. 1959) and the Belgian visual artist Hans Op de Beeck (b. 1969).

Art historian Ruud Priem, department head and curator of fine arts at the Musée national d’histoire et d’art in Luxembourg, came up with the concept and selected the works of Olaf and Op de Beeck, thus initiating a unique collaboration. It centers on the artists’ shared admiration for the oeuvre of the Luxembourg-born photographer Edward Steichen (1879–1973), and their mutual respect. The book juxtaposes Olaf’s series Im Wald with watercolors and sculptures by Op de Beeck and landscape photographs by Steichen. Although very different, surprising connections emerge between the three artists in this richly varied presentation of images in black, white and shades of grey.

This publication accompanies the exhibition Erwin Olaf & Hans Op de Beeck: Inspired by Steichen at the National Museum of History and Art (MNHA) in Luxembourg from 16 December 2022 to 11 June 2023, curated by Ruud Priem. Alongside their joint exhibition, Olaf and Op de Beeck are the guest curators of a selection of photos by Steichen in the MNHA’s Steichen Room.