Julian Opie is one of the most important representatives of contemporary art in the successor of Pop Art.
Julian Opie was born in London in 1958. Julian Opie studied at the Goldsmith's School of Art in his hometown between 1979 and 1982 with Michael Craig-Martin. Julian Opie also works as an assistant to his teacher for a short time.
In the 1980s Julian Opie quickly established himself in the London art scene. In the early phase of development, Julian Opie worked on architectural models as well as a series of painted metal sculptures made of sheet steel that grew in size towards the end of the 1980s. With his participation in the Kassel Documenta exhibition in 1984, these works by Julian Opie became known.
In 1997 Julian Opie started to work on his famous series of portraits. These characteristic works consolidate his international fame. The starting point of the work is a simplification of the face on the computer: The internal structures are reduced to such an extent that only a few lines or dots remain. However, these are able to appropriately implement the personality and idiosyncrasies of the person portrayed. This reduction creates a comic-like style, and the flat colourfulness with which Julian Opie underpins his portraits also contributes to the striking visual effect reminiscent of Pop Art. The British band "Blur" commissions Julian Opie's album cover for "Best of Blur" in this style - the result has been awarded.
