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Julian Opie

Julian Opie is a visual artist of the New British Sculpture movement. Opie's distinctive reductive style draws from diverse influences including billboards, classical portraiture and sculpture, dance, Japanese woodblocks, and cartoons. His work comprises silhouettes, animations, LED animations, and simplified portraits and landscapes. Employing a variety of media and technologies to make "paintings" of his subjects, Opie distills everyday images and experiences into concise but evocative signs and pictograms.

Julian Opie (b. 1958, London, England) lives and works in London. He was the subject of solo museum exhibitions at Mango Museum, Changsha, China (2023); PARCO Museum, Tokyo, Japan (2022); Berardo Museum, Lisbon, Portugal (2020); Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan (2019); National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia (2018); National Portrait Gallery, London, UK (2017); Suwon Ipark Museum of Art, Korea (2017); Fosun Foundation, Shanghai, China (2017); Fundacion Bancaja, Valencia, Spain (2017); Kunsthalle Helsinki, Finland (2015); Museum of Contemporary Art Krakow (MoCAK), Poland (2014); National Portrait Gallery, London, UK (2011); IVAM, Valencia, Spain (2010); MAK, Vienna, Austria (2008); CAC Malaga, Spain (2006); Neues Museum, Nuremberg, Germany (2003); Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, UK (2001); Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich (1999); Kunstverein Hannover, Germany (1994) and Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, UK (1985).

Julian Opie, T-Shirt Woman, 2014, silkscreen on painted wooden board, 107.9 x 60.5 cm

I go by trial and error. If it works, I follow it up. If I see something in the world that sings, I grab it.

Julian Opie

Biography

Education

  • 1979 - 1983

    Goldsmiths College, London, UK

Awards

  • 2015

    Spanish Art Critics Association (AECA) Award, ARCO Madrid, Madrid, Spain

  • 2001

    Music Week CADS – Best Illustration for ‘Best of Blur’, UK

  • 1995

    Residency, Atelier Calder, Saché, France

    Sargant Fellowship, The British School at Rome, Rome, Italy

Solo Exhibitions

  • 2024

    Galleri F 15, Moss, Norway

    Krakow Witkin Gallery, Boston, MA, USA

    Llotja de Palma, Mallorca, Spain

    Piazza Quadrilatero, Milan, Italy

  • 2023

    Mango Museum, Changsha, China

    Lisson Gallery, London, UK

    Kukje Gallery, Busan, South Korea

    Valentina Bonomo, Rome, Italy

    Galleri F15, Moss, Norway

  • 2022

    Galerie Krobath, Vienna, Austria

    Maho Kubota, Tokyo, Japan

    PARCO Museum, Tokyo, Japan

    Lisson Gallery, Beijing, China

  • 2021

    Lisson Gallery, London, UK

    Pitzhanger Manor & Gallery, London, UK

    Gerhardsen Gerner, Oslo, Norway

    De Brock, Knokke, Belgium

    Cristea Roberts Gallery, London, UK

    Kukje Gallery, Seoul, South Korea

  • 2020

    Berardo Museum, Lisbon, Portugal

    Galeria Duarte Sequeira, Braga, Portugal

    Lisson Gallery, Shanghai, China

  • 2019

    Lisson Gallery, New York, NY, USA

    Gerhardsen Gerner, Oslo, Norway

    Lehmbruck Museum, Duisberg, Germany

    Galerie Krobath, Vienna, Austria

    Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

  • 2018

    National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Australia

    Krakow Witkin Gallery, Boston, MA, USA

    Alan Cristea Gallery, London, UK

    F1963, Busan, South Korea

  • 2017

    National Portrait Gallery, London, UK

    Suwon Ipark Museum of Art, Suwon, South Korea

    Fosun Foundation, Shanghai, China

    Centro Cultural Bancaja, Valencia, Spain

  • 2016

    Galerie Krobath, Vienna, Austria

    Gerhardsen Gerner, Berlin Germany

    Maho Kubota Gallery, Tokyo, Japan

    Art Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland

  • 2015

    Gerhardsen Gerner, Oslo, Norway

    Taidehalli Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland

    Galeria Mário Sequeira, Braga, Portugal

    Alan Cristea Gallery, London, UK

    Gerhardsen Gerner, Oslo, Norway

    British Council, New Delhi, India

    Galerie Bob van Orsouw, Zürich, Switzerland

  • 2014

    Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, UK

    ARK Gallery, London, UK

    SCAI The Bathhouse, Tokyo, Japan

    Mocak, Krakow, Poland

    Bowes Museum, County Durham, UK; The Holburne Museum, Bath, UK

    Kukje Gallery, Seoul, South Korea

    Galerie Krobath, Berlin, Germany

    Gerhardsen Gerner, Berlin, Germany

  • 2013

    Valentina Bonomo, Rome, Italy

    British Council, London, UK

    Galerie Krobath, Vienna, Austria

    Holden Gallery, Manchester, UK

    Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK

    Patrick De Brock, Knokke, Belgium

    Alan Cristea, London, UK

    Gerhardsen Gerner, Oslo, Norway

  • 2012

    Sakshi Gallery, Dehli, India

    Lisson Gallery, London, UK

  • 2011

    Lisson Gallery, Milan, Italy

    National Portrait Gallery, London, UK

    Galerie Bob van Orsouw, Zurich, Switzerland

    Alan Cristea Gallery, London, UK

    Galerie Krobath, Berlin, Germany

    Galerie Supper, Karlsruhe, Germany

  • 2010

    Galeria Mário Sequeira, Braga, Portugal

    Institut Valencià d'Art Modern, Valencia, Spain

    Gallerist, Istanbul, Turkey

    Barbara Krakow Gallery, Boston, MA, USA

  • 2009

    Valentina Bonomo, Rome, Italy

    Kivik Art Centre, Osterlen, Sweden

    Kukje Gallery, Seoul, South Korea

    Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai, India

    SCAI The Bathhouse, Tokyo, Japan

    Patrick De Brock, Knokke, Belgium

  • 2008

    Museum für angewandte Kunst, Vienna, Austria

    Lisson Gallery, London, UK

    Alan Cristea Gallery, London, UK

    Krobath Wimmer, Vienna, Austria

    Art Tower Mito, Mito, Japan

  • 2007

    Barbara Thumm, Berlin, Germany

    Museum Kampa, Prague, Czech Republic

    Barbara Krakow Gallery, Boston, MA, USA

    King’s Lynn Art Centre, Norfolk, UK

  • 2006

    Centro de Arte Contemporáneo de Malaga, Malaga, Spain

    Bob van Orsouw, Zurich, Switzerland

    Alan Cristea Gallery, London, UK

  • 2005

    Mario Sequeira, Braga, Portugal

    La Chocolateria, Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    SCAI The Bathhouse, Tokyo, Japan

    Galleri MGM, Oslo, Norway

    Valentina Bonomo, Rome, Italy

  • 2004

    Public Art Fund, City Hall Park, New York, NY, USA

    Lisson Gallery, London, UK

    Wetterling Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden

    Krobath Wimmer, Vienna, Austria

    Patrick De Brock, Knokke, Belgium

    Galerie Barbara Thumm, Berlin, Germany

  • 2003

    Neues Museum, Staatliches Museum für Kunst und Design in Nürnberg, Nuremberg, Germany

    K21 Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Dusseldorf, Germany

    Alan Cristea Gallery, London, UK

    Bob van Orsouw, Zurich, Switzerland

  • 2002

    Rebecca Camhi Gallery, Athens, Greece

    Mario Sequeira Gallery, Braga, Portugal

    Galerie Barbara Thumm, Berlin, Germany

    Barbara Krakow Gallery, Boston, MA, USA

    Atelier Augarten, Galerie Belvedere, Vienna, Austria

  • 2001

    Lisson Gallery, London, UK

    Patrick De Brock, Knokke, Belgium

    Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, UK

    Wetterling Gallery, Stockholm, Sweden

  • 2000

    Abbaye Saint-André, Centre d’art contemporain, Meymac, France

    Junge Kunst, Wolfsburg, Germany

    Outdoor Project for Autostadt, Mittellandkanal, Wolfsburg, Germany

    Alan Cristea Gallery, London, UK

    SCAI The Bathhouse, Tokyo, Japan

  • 1999

    Primo Piano, Rome, Italy

    Morrison Judd, London, UK

    Tensta Konsthall, Stockholm, Sweden

    Galerie Barbara Thumm, Berlin, Germany

    Bob van Orsouw, Zurich, Switzerland

    Stadtgalerie am Lehnbachhaus, Munich, Germany

    Barbara Krakow Gallery, Boston, MA, USA

  • 1997

    Gallery Nova Sin, Prague, Czech Republic

    Galerie Barbara Thumm, Berlin, Germany

    The Economist Plaza, London, UK

    Krobath Wimmer, Vienna, Austria

    De Gouverneurstuin, Assen, Netherlands

  • 1996

    Galerie Analix B & L Polla, Geneva, Switzerland

    Driving in the Country, Centre de Création Contemporaine, Tours, France

    Galerie Bob van Orsouw, Zurich, Switzerland

    Lisson Gallery, London, UK

  • 1995

    Cityscape, Monica de Cardenas Galleria, Milan, Italy

  • 1994

    Kunstverein Hannover, Hanover, Germany

    Galerie Albrecht, Munich, Germany

    Imagine You Are Walking, Tramway, Glasgow, UK

  • 1993

    Hayward Gallery, London, UK

  • 1992

    Wiener Secession, Vienna, Austria

  • 1991

    Kohji Ogura Gallery, Nagoya, Japan

    Galerie Luis Campaña, Frankfurt am Main, Germany

    Jänner Galerie, Vienna, Austria

    Galleria Franz Paludetto, Turin, Italy

    Primo Piano, Rome, Italy

    Kunsthalle Bern, Bern, Switzerland

  • 1990

    Lisson Gallery, London, UK

  • 1988

    Lisson Gallery, London, UK

    Galeria Montenegro, Madrid, Spain

    Paul Maenz, Cologne, Germany

  • 1986

    Lisson Gallery, London, UK

    Franco Toselli Gallery, Milan, Italy

  • 1985

    Lisson Gallery, London, UK

    Institute of Contemporary Arts, London, UK

    Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Jouy-en-Josas, France

  • 1984

    Kölnischer Kunstverein, Cologne, Germany

    Groninger Museum, Groningen, The Netherlands

  • 1983

    Lisson Gallery, London, UK

Public Collections

  • Australia

    National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne

    Queensland Art Gallery, Brisbane

  • Austria

    Essl Collection, Vienna

    Kunsthaus Bregenz, Bregenz

    Sammlung Essl, Vienna

  • Belgium

    Banque Bruxelles Lambert, Brussels

  • Finland

    Espoo Museum of Modern Art, Espoo

  • France

    Fonds National d’Art Contemporain

    Maison Europeene de la Photographie, Paris

  • Germany

    Daimler Chrysler, Berlin

    Dresdner Bank, Berlin

    Deutsche Bank, Frankfurt

    Lenbachhaus Städtische Galerie, Munich

    Neue Galerie – Sammlung Ludwig, Aachen

    Neues Museum, Nuremberg

  • Greece

    National Museum of Contemporary Art, Athens

  • Ireland

    Dublin City Gallery, Dublin

  • Israel

    Israel Museum, Jerusalem

  • Italy

    Museo d'Arte Contemporanea Prato, Prato

  • Japan

    Dentsu Building, Tokyo

    National Museum of Art, Osaka

    Takamatsu City Museum of Art, Takamatsu

  • Norway

    Gjensidige, Oslo

    Museet for Samtidskunst, Oslo

  • Portugal

    Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Lisbon

  • South Korea

    Gana Art Centre, Seoul

  • Spain

    Fundacion Caja de Pensiones, Madrid

    Institut Valencià d'Art Modern, Valencia

    Museum of Contemporary Art of Leon, Leon

  • Switzerland

    Daros Collection, Zurich

    Kunsthalle Bern, Bern

    Kunsthaus Zurich, Zurich

  • The Netherlands

    Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam

  • UK

    Aberdeen Art Gallery, Aberdeen

    Arts Council of Great Britain

    British Council Collection

    British Museum, London

    Contemporary Art Society, London

    Government Art Collection, London

    National Portrait Gallery, London

    Tate Collection, London

    Victoria & Albert Museum, London

  • US

    Carnegie Museum, Pittsburgh, PA

    Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, MA

    Kresge Art Museum, Michigan State University, MI

    Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

    Museum of Modern Art, New York, NY

    Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT

Selected images

Exhibitions