NGV julian opie exhibition

Julian opie exhibition

The NGV presents the work of Julian Opie, one of Britain’s most influential living artists. Since graduating art school in the early 1980s and bursting onto a pre-Young British Artists art scene in London, Opie’s work has influenced the wider field of popular culture more than any other artist of his generation – instantly recognisable by his bold, pared back, signature style of depiction.

In this exhibition, created specifically in response to the NGV International spaces, a wide range of subjects are on view, each distilling elements of the natural, urban and figurative world to their essence.

Image Eugene Hyland

A city of skyscrapers takes over Federation Court, stretching up to the glass roof; a shoal of carp swim behind the waterfall facade; stone sheep graze in the gardens and a crowd of sculptures of people walking are caught mid stride in the lobby.

People are a key focus throughout the exhibition and Opie’s most recent works feature portraits and walking figures drawn straight from the streets of Melbourne. His minimal approach is rendered in painting, sculpture and film, recalling the endless human motion captured in Roman and Egyptian friezes, as well as in the famous photographic sequences by Eadweard Muybridge. In the central gallery, more than forty of the artist’s moving image works – from 1993 to the present – will be on display.

Julian opie kids studio

NGV Kids presents an interactive exhibition for families, featuring hands-on and digital activities developed in collaboration with the artist. In this studio, Julian invites you to create a portrait in a new way. You can try constructing a head using felt shapes or create a digital self-portrait using only line and colour.

Using basic shapes, like circles for heads, this felt activity shows how just a few elements can come together to make a portrait. Children can play with shape and colour to create a portrait using colourful felt pieces.

When Julian first began to draw portraits, he used to look at himself in the mirror, close one eye and carefully trace his reflection using a felt tip pen. Inspired by Julian’s approach to drawing, this digital interactive guides children step-by-step to create their own colourful portrait in the style of the artist. Finished portraits can be shared on social media for friends and family to enjoy.

Image Eugene Hyland

---

FREE ENTRY
NGV INTERNATIONAL GROUND LEVEL
9 NOV 18 – 17 FEB 19
OPEN 10AM–5PM DAILY

---

NGV INTERNATIONAL
180 ST KILDA ROAD, MELBOURNE