The Freedom to Be
A Hommage to Erwin
Erwin and I first met after I wrote him a letter — an honest attempt to put into words what his work had stirred in me. Not long after, we spoke in person, and that conversation led to a collaboration. I joined him first as an intern, later as his personal assistant. During the time I was privileged to work with him, I learned not only about light, form, and perfection, but also about attention, humanity, and courage. I am deeply grateful for all our conversations, for his generosity, and for the space he created that allowed me to grow.
In Erwin’s oeuvre, form and emotion were inseparable. His images were meticulously constructed, technically flawless, yet imbued with existential depth. He understood that perfection is not a mask, but a way to make human vulnerability, intimacy, and desire visible.
The harmonious light and sculptural bodies in this photograph serve not only an aesthetic purpose, but create a tension between control and surrender, between longing and closeness. Color forms the heart of this work. Its gentle transitions resonate with the sensitivity through which Erwin captured the human spectrum. They echo the multitude of emotions, identities, and stories he revealed — a choreography of differences in which our shared humanity becomes tangible.
In Erwin’s work, aesthetics were never empty. They were a moral space — a place where beauty and perfection could confront, move, and heal. This photograph stands in that same light: as a homage, but also as a continuation of his artistic vision. A monument to the freedom he made possible for the artists who came after him — the freedom to portray intimacy and diversity without shame, and to meet the other through beauty.
Dai Scheffer Homage Erwin Olaf, The Freedom to Be, 2025 Archival pigment print on Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta Edition of 10 + 2APs
Erwin’s work continues to be celebrated internationally. His major retrospective, Erwin Olaf: Freedom, will be on view at the Stedelijk Museum from October 11, 2025 – March 1, 2026, in collaboration with Studio Erwin Olaf. Supported by Fonds 21 and the VandenEnde Foundation. For more details, please visit the Stedelijk Museum’s website.
