Lance Austin Olsen

Lance Olsen

Opening Friday, September 4th, 2026, 7 to 9 pm.

Show Runs Saturday/Sundays, September 5th to 20th, 2026

For over 60 years Victoria-based artist Lance Austin Olsen has been creating a captivating body of artwork that spans painting, printmaking, and even sound. At 83 years old, Olsen has barely slowed down, and will be presenting a collection of his recent visual works in a solo exhibition at Xchanges Gallery through September. This will be a rare occasion to view his large-scale paintings and drawings in person, and to meet an artist who has been inspiring so many others over the decades with his tireless inventiveness and experimentation.

“I have worked continuously on visual art since I began art school in London UK when I was 15. I am now 83 and have not really slowed down that much. I have since 2015 avoided exhibitions and the effort away from painting that it requires to both get and install an exhibition. I have concentrated on my work and have a daily practice that continues to evolve my visual language. Two and a half years back I became ill and found it difficult to go to the studio to work; although I still do produce work in the studio I developed a method of working on an iPad to produce single images printed on BFK RIVES cotton rag paper 22” X 30” that marries very well with my painting production. This also indulges my belief that artists should embrace new methods of producing their images.

Since I am less able to do the big works daily I am still able to constantly work even if it is from my living room couch. This exhibition is about the moment that we all inhabit known collectively as “Now”; the only moment in which we exist. As always I view each piece as a footstep through my life, a diary of my daily thinking if you will.”

This exhibition and artist will be featured as part of Culture Days 2026 at Xchanges; learn more here.

About the Artist

Lance Austin Olsen was born London, UK in 1943. He studied under Frank Auerbach, R.B. Kitaj, Euan Uglow, Michael Rothenstein and others at Camberwell School of Art from 1959 to 1965 before emigrating to BC in 1968.

Known for his dynamic, multi-panel artworks which fluidly move between figurative and abstract subjects, Olsen’s diverse output can be linked together by his interest in memory, and the indelible marks gathered by life experiences. Olsen’s paintings have also been adapted as graphical music scores by contemporary musicians, such as the prominent British ensemble Apartment House. Singer and musician David Sylvian selected Olsen’s paintings to adorn his recent large CD boxset, and Olsen still pursues his multi-decade creative partnership with artist Jamie Drouin.

He continues to collaborate with international sound artists while concurrently working with a iPad on series of no edition 22” X 30” images.