Artist Database

Julian Opie, born in London in 1958, is a British contemporary artist celebrated for his minimalist, graphic style. He studied at Goldsmiths School of Art from 1979 to 1983, under Michael Craig-Martin, and became part of the New British Sculpture movement. Opie’s work spans paintings, prints, sculptures, and digital animations, often focusing on portraits, figures, and landscapes reduced to bold lines and flat colours. His signature ‘walking figures’ and abstracted crowds explore movement, identity, and representations of the self. He is known for his large public installations in cities worldwide, like Tokyo, New York City, and London. Drawing from influences such as classical portraiture, Pop Art, Japanese woodblock prints, and signage, Opie’s work is in numerous global collections, including the British Museum and the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. He currently lives and works in London.