Copyright : MNHA Tom Lucas
Copyright : MNHA Tom Lucas
Copyright : MNHA Tom Lucas
Hans Op de Beeck, Lake, cloudy day, canoe, 2014 (c) Private collection.
Erwin Olaf, Auf dem See, Im Wald, 2020, Archival pigment print, 160 x 240 cm, Studio Erwin Olaf, Amsterdam
Edward Steichen (1879-1973), Moonrise—Mamaroneck, after 1953, Gelatin silver print, Collection
Exposition at the Musée national d’histoire et d’art
Erwin Olaf and Hans op de Beeck. Inspired by Steichen
To commemorate the 50th anniversary of Edward Steichen's death, the MNHA has put together an exciting exhibition project combining the work of two renowned contemporary artists, namely the Dutch photographer Erwin Olaf (*1959) and the Belgian visual artist Hans Op de Beeck (*1969).
Because of their mutual regard and admiration for Steichen's work, the two artists agreed to work together for the first time. The exhibition brings Olaf's "Im Wald" series, as well as watercolours and sculptures by Op de Beeck, into dialogue with Steichen's landscape photographs, thus establishing surprising parallels between the three artists. Although very distinct, they resonate here like virtuoso musicians, creating a new harmony, a richly varied presentation of images in black, white and grey tones, whose unity and evidence are striking.
This exhibition sheds new light on the work of the famous Luxembourg-born photographer and invites viewers to (re)discover the artistic qualities of his prints through a resolutely contemporary lens. In addition to this joint project, Olaf and Op de Beeck have agreed to curate a selection of images from the MNHA's extensive collection, which will be presented in the museum's Steichen Room.
The exhibition Erwin Olaf and Hans op de Beeck. Inspired by Steichen will be open to the public from December 16 2022 to June 11 2023 at MNHA.
