With his background in Visual Arts and as an extremely passionate educator of children of all ages, Olivier Salvas is an incredible creator and story teller. Originally from Montreal where he studied Education and Fine Arts, it comes as no surprise that this rebellious mind is breaking down barriers and influencing the next generations. It’s his passion and his drive of creating artistic work based on social change or environmental issues that inspires myself and all of those around him.
As he works on a new project, Oli creates a story with a message carried by a main character. Then, he paints paintings and writes poems that takes you in the mind of this specific character. You may see Oli dressed up as a sailor, a storm-trooper, iconic painters or even a deer to educate the minds through the arts. Oli is a strong believer in giving back to communities and to those in need and he has put together some of the most successful fundraisers. As an artist myself I have had so many opportunities to create and work with Oli. He is a collaborator and an innovator and I am beyond honoured to have had the chance to work alongside him.
-Bio written by Mina Mercury, Vancouver drag artist
Which hood are you in?
I currently live in the West End in Vancouver, BC.
What do you do?
I am a conceptual/ visual artist. I create and paint stories based on the themes of identity, social justice and the environment. I also teach French Immersion. I also do some reporting work for OutlookTV (OuTTV ) and I host workshops for teachers and artists.
What Are You Currently Working On?
I am currently presenting my new show “FLAMBOYANT”. “FLAMBOYANT” is taking you through the different interpretations of Flamboyance, from bright colours to a reclamation of a word that has been used negatively to refer to LGBTQ2SIA+ people. This project will include many layers such as paintings, photography and my very first fashion line. The rich, brilliant colours in these abstracts are intended to bring an unapologetic touch of positivity in a space using the “flamboyant palette”. Some pieces are also inspired by the gothic flamboyant architecture, which can be interpreted both literally and metaphorically. The “Flamboyant” project also comes with photography project with photographer Rory McLeod, looking back at queer issues from past to present.
Where Can You Find My Work?
My paintings can be seen at Galerie Lenoir Montreal-Paris, The Federation Gallery (Vancouver), The Hallway (Victoria), Le HangArt (Vancouver), The Lost Lagoon Gallery (Vancouver), Bean Hastings (Vancouver) & Bean Granville (Vancouver). I acknowledge that I live, work and play on the unceded and traditional territories of the Coast Salish peoples – sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish), sel̓íl̓witulh (Tsleil-Waututh), and xʷməθkʷəy̓əm (Musqueam) nations.
