The MAK-Vienna to solo 'Recent Works' of Julian Opie |
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| Written by Justin Bullington |
| Monday, 15 February 2010 20:24 |
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 The reduced visual vocabulary of the artist, born 1958 in London, has its counterpart in his continual search for new means of expression, media, and inspirations in art. From his preoccupation to overcome classical art forms and genres derives his artistic intention of separating the picture from its carrier and making it recur as a wall painting, sculpture, light-box, video, vinyl picture, or C-print. On exhibition June 11 – September 21, 2008.An exponent of “New British Sculpture”, Opie became known in the mid-1980s for metal sculptures made of everyday objects with painted surfaces. Opie borrows from comics and pop art from his clear and reduced line work. The artist’s complex œuvre also evokes associations of Japanese Mangas and seems indebted to a consumer sphere context (advertising, picture postcards, posters, stickers, record covers, etc.). However, Opie’s subjects – portraits, nudes, half and full figures, and landscapes – are firmly rooted in the tradition of art-historical pictorial genres. Since the early 1990s, Opie has taken to developing his works on the computer: he scans real photos which he then transforms, using cutting edge software, into easily readable two or three-dimensional virtual views. Julian Opie has also been working with moving images for some years now. Digitally drawn humans and landscapes are gently animated and shown on large flat screens mounted on art museums or other suitable buildings. The MAK exhibition “JULIAN OPIE. Recent Works” brings together many facets of his œuvre. In the center of the show is a new series of portraits (2007–2008), based on Baroque models. Here, Julian Opie explores the works of the Dutch-born painter Sir Peter Lely (1618–1680), who immigrated to England and became one of the most preferred portrait painters of the 17th century. 
Besides, the MAK show features nudes, among them his “This is Shanoza” series (2007), half figures, including “Lorenzo with hand on chest” (2008), a series of animated landscapes deriving from the artist’s studies of 19th century Japanese masters, as well as a series of animated human portraits. Presented on large flat-screens, or displays, the minimalist figures are in permanent flowing motion.Julian Opie received numerous awards, among them, for example, a Music Week CADs for his record cover “Best of Blur” (2001). He won international recognition with his spectacular contribution to the documenta 8 (1987) in Kassel, Germany. Today, his works are represented in important international collections such as Tate Modern, London, The Museum of Modern Art, New York, the Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam, and the Zurich Kunsthaus. Established 1986, the MAK Permanent Collection Contemporary Art holds a special position within the system of MAK collections. Central to this are the interfacing zones of “applied” and “pure” art as well as the development of new presentation concepts in close cooperation with the artists. Not only in the MAK Permanent Collection, but also in the public sphere – with works by Donald Judd, Philip Johnson, Franz West and James Turrell permanently exhibited in the Vienna cityscape, in Stadtpark, on Schottenring, on the Stubenbrücke, and in the park of Geymüllerschlössel, respectively –, the MAK Permanent Collection Contemporary Art champions an open approach to and an expanded understanding of art. Visit the MAK at : www.mak.at/ Click on logo below to add this article to your favorite Social Website ~ |
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