OLIVIER SALVAS


Contemporary Artist · Curator · Workshop Facilitator
Vancouver, BC · Originally from Montréal, QC
www.oliviersalvas.com
Public-facing studio on Granville Island, Vancouver
Languages: French and English

ARTIST PROFILE

Olivier Salvas is a Canadian contemporary abstract artist whose work explores identity, memory, colour and belonging. His practice spans painting, mixed media and wearable art, drawing on lived experience, urban culture and popular culture. Originally from Montréal and based in Vancouver, he has presented work across Canada and internationally. Alongside his studio practice, Salvas works as a curator, workshop facilitator, mentor and broadcaster.

SOLO EXHIBITIONS

2026

  • THE 90s Mixtape — Nomad Gallery, White Rock, BC. November 5–19.

  • THE 90s — Bean on Hastings, Vancouver, BC.

  • Blue Show — 401 West Georgia, Vancouver, BC.

2025

  • PARADOX: The Gospel of Shadows — Bean on Hastings, Vancouver, BC.

  • PRIDE — Curated by HelloArt, Vancouver, BC.

  • Solo exhibition — Montréal World Trade Centre, Montréal, QC.

2024

  • Hidden Escapes: Art of the Inner Child — Vancouver, BC. July–November.

  • Disco Nap — Curated by HelloArt, 666 Burrard Street, Vancouver, BC.

2023–2024

  • Disco Nap — Vancouver, BC. October 2023–January 2024.

2023

  • Solo exhibition — ART Vancouver, Art at Bentall, Vancouver, BC. October.

  • The Flamboyance Salon — Vancouver, BC. July–September.

  • The Enchanted Garden 2.0 — Vancouver, BC. January–March.

2022

  • The Enchanted Garden — Vancouver, BC. July–December.

  • FLAMBOYANT — One-month solo exhibition and residency, Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC. July.

  • Show Me Your Colours — Lost Lagoon Gallery, Vancouver, BC. January–June.

2021

  • Flamboyant — Exhibition presentations at Lost Lagoon Gallery and Bean on Hastings, Vancouver, BC.

2019

  • Rebel with a Cause — Le Centre Culturel, Vancouver, BC. September–November.

TWO-PERSON EXHIBITIONS

2022

  • CORE — With Meg J, Vancouver, BC. March–April.

  • Polarity — With Min Xu, Vancouver, BC. January.

GROUP EXHIBITIONS AND FESTIVALS

2026

  • Artists in Montreal group exhibition — Montréal, QC. October–November.

  • Pride exhibition — Georges Laoun Opticien, Montréal, QC. August.

  • Queer arts group exhibition — Montréal, QC. July.

  • Out/side — Maury Young Arts Centre, Whistler, BC.

  • Purple Show — Slice of Life Gallery, Vancouver, BC.

  • AIRE — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC.

  • Abstracted — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC.

2025

  • Le parcours des tours — Gallea, Montréal, QC.

  • On the Edge — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC.

  • Small Exhibition — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC.

  • Abstracted — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC.

  • ART SALON Collective — Federation Studios, Vancouver, BC.

  • Purple Show — Slice of Life Gallery, Vancouver, BC.

2023

  • Ten Squared — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC. December.

  • Anonymous Art Show — North Van Arts, North Vancouver, BC. November–December.

  • ArtSpeaks — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC. November.

  • Welcome to My House — BCNPHA exhibition, Vancouver, BC. November.

  • Abstracted — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC. September.

  • Shape & Form — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC. February.

2022

  • Ten Squared — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC. December.

  • Together — BCNPHA exhibition, Vancouver, BC. November.

  • Outsiders Arts Festival — Vancouver, BC. October.

  • Pride & Arts — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC. July.

  • Montréal Pride Festival — Outdoor exhibition, Montréal, QC. June–September.

  • Spotlight — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC. May.

  • Bloom — Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB. March.

  • Small Exhibition — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC. February.

  • Winter Solstice — The Gallery George, Vancouver, BC. January.

  • Group exhibition — Vancouver Visual Art Foundation, Vancouver, BC.

2021

  • Outsiders Arts Festival — Vancouver, BC. October.

  • Montréal Pride Society — Outdoor exhibition, Montréal, QC. June–September.

  • Queer Arts Festival — Vancouver, BC. June.

  • Pride & Arts — Federation Gallery, Vancouver, BC. June.

2020

  • Outsiders Arts Festival — Virtual exhibition, Vancouver, BC. October.

  • Queer Arts Festival — Virtual exhibition, Vancouver, BC. June.

  • There’s an Elephant in the Room — Virtual exhibition. April.

2019

  • Goodbye to Innocence, Community Art Show — Queer Arts Festival, Vancouver, BC. Exhibited work: Bambi Love.

  • Group exhibition — Galerie Patrick Mikhail, Montréal, QC. March.

GALLERY REPRESENTATION

  • 2026 — Represented artist, Nikitin Gallery, Brooklyn, NY.

  • 2026 — Represented artist, Lost Lagoon Gallery, Vancouver, BC.

  • 2025–present — Represented artist, Nomad Gallery, White Rock, BC.

  • 2022–2023 — Permanent Artist - Galerie Lenoir, Montréal–Paris. January 2022–August 2023.

  • 2022-2025 - Permanent Artist Hangart Montréal, Toronto, Québec City and Vancouver.

ONGOING EXHIBITIONS AND STUDIO

  • Granville Island, Vancouver, BC — Public-facing artist studio; an ongoing location to view original artwork and meet the artist.

  • 2025 — Ongoing exhibition, Sabbya, Montréal, QC.

  • 2022 — Year-long exhibition, The Hallway, Victoria, BC. January–December.

COLLABORATIVE ART PROJECTS

  • 2022 — WE ARE OCEAN — Vancouver project presented through ARTPORT_making waves in connection with the Venice Biennale. April.

  • 2020–2021 — WE ARE OCEAN Vancouver — Collaborating artist with T’uy’t’tanat Cease Wyss; commissioned by the Vancouver Biennale and developed through ARTPORT_making waves.

  • 2019 — UNITY — Collection launch and candle collaboration with You+Me Candles. November.

CURATORIAL AND JURY EXPERIENCE

  • 2026 — Juror, Artists in Montreal winter exhibition.

  • 2026 — Curator, ALIVE, Housing Central Art Expo, BC’s Affordable Housing Conference, Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre. November 18; featuring 25 booths and more than 40 artists.

  • 2024–2026 — Curator, Housing Central Art Expo, Vancouver, BC.

WORKSHOPS, TEACHING AND MENTORSHIP

  • 2025 — Instructor, Social Media for Artists, Levels 1 and 2, Federation of Canadian Artists.

  • 2025 — Instructor, Strategies for Selling Artworks, Federation of Canadian Artists.

  • 2022 — Workshop facilitator, Community Arts Vancouver. June–September.

  • 2021 — Workshop facilitator, Community Arts Vancouver. June–September.

  • 2020–2021 — Workshop facilitator and mentor, Outsiders Arts Festival.

  • 2019 — Rebel with a Cause workshops. September.

ARTFASHION — WEARABLE ART AND COLLABORATIONS

Co-founder and collaborating artist, ARTFASHION by Charlie’s Charmed & Olivier Salvas Artiste, alongside Eddie Mendoza and Ryan Mendoza. The collaboration translates original artwork into hand-painted, upcycled clothing, jewellery and accessories. ARTFASHION Boutique opened in April 2022.

Retail and gallery placements

  • 2024–2026 — Artisan Avenue, Vancouver, BC.

  • 2024–2025 — Studio on Water, Kelowna, BC.

  • 2022–2024 — Winnipeg Art Gallery, Winnipeg, MB.

Television wardrobe credit

  • 2022 — Custom hand-painted blazer for Justin Abit, participant on Call Me Mother, OUTtv.

BROADCASTING AND TELEVISION CREDITS

  • 2026 — Featured participant, BC Hydro Power Smart commercial. October.

  • 2022–2025 — Columnist, Social Justice segment, Radio-Canada Vancouver.

  • Reporter, OutlookTV, broadcast on OUTtv and available through Amazon Prime Video.

SELECTED PRESS AND MEDIA COVERAGE

PROJECT DOCUMENTATION AND EVENT LISTINGS

AWARDS AND CULTURAL RECOGNITION

  • 2021 — First Prize, Pride in Arts, Federation of Canadian Artists, for Sometimes I Paint Just for Fun.

  • 2019 — British Columbia Culture Days Ambassador. June–September.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

  • Federation of Canadian Artists.

  • Artists in Montreal.

  • Arts BC.

MEMBERSHIPS

  • Gallea

  • HelloArt

  • Partial Gallery