Olivier Debré was born in Paris in 1920. In 1939, after completing his studies in history and architecture, he became Le Corbusiers pupil. Having met some abstract expressionists in the United States, he became influenced by their paintings. From 1960 and onwards, his works were large scale and he focused on the interplay between color and lights on large surfaces.

In 1967, Olivier Debré represented France at the Expo in Montreal. He has also made sculptures, illustrations, designed a stamp, made stained glass and painted murals. He passed away in 1999.