Posted by sabine7
Mixed Media | Sep 3, 2008
Julian Opie's thick, black lines are what stand out in his paintings, drawings and sculptures of people, as they are what make us think of Hergé or the very useful graphic figures that anonymously make pictographs so instructional. But Opie's subjects are less anonymous than one would first think, especially when most of the portraits do bear names. So the close-up of a girl takes on new meaning when we learn she is a pole dancer and then see her appear in so many other portraits. Or we learn that Ruth is a smoker and her cigarettes are important props. There are too many characters in Opie's world to meet right here, so go looking and get to know them further.
Artist: Julian Opie
+ julianopie.com
Ruth With Cigarette, 1
Ruth Smoking, 1
