Hasted Hunt will present new work by photographer and filmmaker, Erwin Olaf in an exhibition opening on January 5, 2006 and running through March 2006.  Hasted Hunt will debut two series of Olaf's photographic work: RAIN and the specially commissioned HOPE with their accompanying videos.

These images are staged domestic narratives depicting enigmatic moments with individuals or couples - as Erwin Olaf describes it - just at an instant of indecision or consideration.  This is not Henri Cartier–Bresson’s “decisive moment” but rather the half-second after you receive bad news but before you react.  The characters seem to be dyspeptic mid-Westerners out of Norman Rockwell paintings.   There is an air of tentativeness and secrecy.  The color seems oddly diluted or drained.

Wildly inventive, iconoclastic, colorful, sexy, often rude, often disorienting, Erwin Olaf has a unique contemporary vision and complete technical mastery of digital technology.  Erwin Olaf satirizes middle class behaviors - fashion, advertising, and culture.  At the same time Olaf works very successfully within the commercial world with international clients like Diesel, Kohler, Microsoft, BMW, Nokia, Virgin and Nike. 

Erwin Olaf lives and works in The Netherlands and enjoys a major reputation in Europe with more than a dozen museum and gallery exhibitions scheduled for the near future in his native country and Russia, Poland, Spain and Denmark.  Olaf's work is represented in the Stedelijk Museum Amsterdam, The Groninger Museum, Groningen, The Gemeentemueum Den Haag and the ABN AMRO Collection among others.  “Perverse Elegance”, a major retrospective will travel in Australia in 2006.   Erwin Olaf is directing and producing a new film titled “Captain Tom”.  Olaf's most recent retrospective book is Silver (2003).

Erwin Olaf’s debut at Hasted Hunt is his first major exhibition in the United States.

There will be a reception for Erwin Olaf on Friday, January 13th from 6 to 8 PM.

For visuals or more information contact Sarah Hasted or WM Hunt at the gallery. 212 627-0006 or info@hastedhunt.com.