Biography

Art historian Jaap Nijstad on Olivier Julia

Olivier Julia left his native France to study at the Gerrit Rietveld Academy in Amsterdam to be a graphic artist. His oeuvre, amassed over 40 years, includes prints and drawings as well as 3-dimensional works of art. The use of various materials and techniques may differ but the works show a consistent and consequent development of style. Opposites such as light/dark, closed/open and horizontal/vertical play a crucial role. The grid is essential for the foundation of a well-considered and consequently implemented composition and at the same time it enables the artist to work more freely within its boundaries. An architectural quality is recognisable in nearly all works. Form and line stand in relation to construction and technique. The works relate clearly to Geometric-Abstract Art and Julia feels affinity with Abstract Expressionism, Minimal Art, Colour-field and Hard-edge. The artist’s animation, however, has found an unmistakable and individual form of expression within these self-installed frames.