The works of Olivier Deprez are based on reality. His paintings are like snapshots,
accidental recordings of everyday phenomena: children in the park, commuters on escalators, etc. Deprez reproduces
them realistically, but ensures that details are highlighted within the painting process. In so doing he ensures
that his paintings remain identifiable for the audience, but they are never translated directly into the fabric of
the paint: the artist flattens out small details, so that his paintings acquire a strange anonymity. Or else he
intensifies the use of colour so that the paintings suggest a more emotional experience. The art of turning
reality and the perceptions there of into themes gives Deprez’s works direction. In an era where photos are
increasingly directional (advertising, Internet, etc), the figurative paintings of Deprez offer an essential
alternative for the mechanical directness of photos.