Philippe DECRAUZAT Tangier II - 2006 Acrylic on canvas Signed, titled and dated on the back 198.50 × 208 × 3.50 cm Acrylic on canvas; signed, titled and dated on the reverse 78.14 × 81.88 × 1.37 in. Source : Galerie Praz-Delavallade, Paris Private collection, Paris Philippe DECRAUZAT Philippe Decrauzat's work engages the eye with a strong physical presence that goes beyond the retinal, perceptual game to reshape the environment in a renewed relationship with culture and history. Despite its formal affiliation with abstraction and optical art, Philippe Decrauzat's work is the product of diverse influences. The links it forges with the history of forms, and also with 'low' culture, shift the gaze between these two worlds, considered respectively to be elitist and popular. His approach is not one of simple appropriation, but of discreet, interwoven, indexical references; he chooses his motifs and forms for their visual and spatial qualities. The distortion that takes place in these forms is generated by this compression of influences, this variation on more or less dominant motifs. At the same time, references to a more 'popular' culture distance us from the optical experience. This web of intertwined meanings and motifs can be seen as a kind of wandering: a somewhat nonchalant, uninhibited use of a rigorous vocabulary that the artist approaches obliquely, playfully or in declensions, like a composer repeating a sound motif to which he imbues his own modulations in order to create a dynamic. The work of Philippe Decrauzat involves the view (look) by his strong physical presence which beyond the retinal and perceptve game recreate the environment in a new relationship between culture and history. Despite the fact that his work formally belongs to abstraction and Op Art, it is more the result of various influences. The links created with the history of forms but also with the so-called low culture suggest a change in our perception of those two worlds respectively considered elitist and popular. He does not only proceed by appropriation, but prefers discrete and intermingled references; he chooses his motives and forms for their spatial and visual qualities. The distortion which operates in those forms is the result of this compression of various influences, this variation on motives more or less dominating. But in the same time those references to a more ?popular? culture relativise the optical experience. This material of signification and motives tied alltogether can be experienced as a wandering: an emancipated way of using a rigorous vocabulary that the artist approach skew, by playing or in declination like a type-setter who would repeat a sound motive to which he would print his own modulations in order to create a dynamic.