Discover the contemporary work of Olivier Bour
Olivier Bour is a contemporary figurative painter born on November 14, 1959 in Le Havre. He studied Visual Arts and Art History at the Panthéon-Sorbonne University in Paris. He was influenced by three artists: Edvard Munch, Don Eddy, and Piet Mondrian. His paintings are inspired by daily life, travel, literature, and more. The external world depicted on his canvases mimics the inner illusion.
"Olivier Bour studied visual arts at the Sorbonne, but was above all influenced by three artists who helped shape and personalize his work.
The anguished canvases of Norwegian expressionist artist Edvard Munch (1863-1944) made him realize the ability of painting "to transcribe neuroses and the expression of a conscience revolted by the malaise of a society." Even if no anxiety emanates from his paintings, Olivier Bour modestly addresses the tensions and unspoken aspects of everyday life.
In 1983, the work of American Don Eddy introduced him to hyperrealism, which resulted in a realistic rendering of his characters, treated with volume and color gradations.
The rediscovery of Piet Mondrian (1872-1944) and his quest for refined form led Olivier Bour to simplify the settings and backgrounds of his compositions by using highly contrasting flat colors that he achieves through a system of stencils.
Corinne Buchon (cultural director at Cesson-Sévigné) September 3, 2003
