Stefan Oláh

Stefan Oláh (*1971, Vienna, A) studied Photography at the Academy for Photodesign, Munich. Since 1994 he works as a freelance photographer and artist based in Vienna, where he is also lecturing as „senior artist“ at the University of Applied Arts Vienna. His recent book projects include a closer look on to the architecture of 1950ies in Austria ("österreichische architektur der 50er jahre fotografiert von stefan oláh" edited by Stefan Oláh and published at anton pustet verlag, Salzburg isbn 978-3-7025-0649-0). In 2010 he worked on the highly successful book „twentysix viennese gasoline stations“ (sechsundzwanzig wiener tankstellen) together with art historian Sebastian Hackenschmidt and the Dutch publisher Roma publications. The book depicts several Viennese tank stations and how the fit in the city and stand their mark against the test of time. While the typical American gas station has long since spread world-wide, its Viennese counterpart testifies to the survival of a distinct and tender European metropolitan variety which nestles up against apartment buildings, occupies the small gaps between buildings, hides in courtyards or positions its pumps somewhere on the curbstone. The title of the book is a reference to a very famous photography book from the American artist Ed Ruscha who photographed 26 Los Angeles tank station.