“[I want to] strip things down, to look at them for what they really are…”
—Julian OpieJulian Opie’s art is instantly recognisable for its pared-down visual language that distils subjects into their essential forms. Opie reduces figures, landscapes, and objects to their most elemental shapes, emphasising bold outlines and flat, unmodulated colour fields. Yet, despite this radical simplification, his works remain rich in expression, be it capturing the dynamism of human movement or the essence of a bustling urban street. This approach evokes the simplicity and clarity of ancient cave paintings, which Opie admires, where a few deliberate lines can convey a world of meaning. Opie’s distinct ability to say so much with so little has become a hallmark of his practice.
Untitled (1998) is an early series of screenprints that was Opie’s first exploration of edition-making with the renowned gallerist Alan Cristea. Following Cristea’s suggestion, Opie compiled a series of images drawing on themes he had focused on since his exhibition at the Hayward Gallery, London, in 1993. This includes a stylised portrait, a cityscape, landscapes, and a video game-style interior – all subjects which have now become synonymous with Opie’s iconic body of work. Though diverse in subject matter, the works feature his trademark aesthetic which he developed throughout the 1990s and has continued to push the boundaries of to this day. In the series, Opie’s clean lines, simplified shapes, and bold, solid colours are heightened by the medium of screenprint, emphasising the precision and clarity of his refined visual language.
“Why look for obfuscation or mystery when what you face is infinitely extraordinary, just as it is?”
—Julian OpieOpie draws his subject matter from the world around him – familiar motifs that may be considered mundane but are deeply familiar to him through his own experiences. For Opie, art is deeply tied to the experience of existence itself. Reflecting on his practice, he has said, “Making art is a way of doing something about existing. I can’t imagine a world where things just washed over you and you weren’t able to do something with it all, because it’s so exciting and vibrant to be alive each day.” Inspired by the world around him, Opie sees through the sensory overload of modern life, distilling it into streamlined, resonant imagery. Opie’s Untitled portfolio encapsulates this enduring fascination with the world, transforming the ordinary into the noteworthy, inviting viewers to see the world with the same excitement and refined eye as the artist.
