Julian Opie Sprinters, Paris, (Men) For Sale

About this work

Julian Opie has established himself as one of the most significant British artists of his generation, known for his distinctive visual language that distills the human figure and urban landscape into elegantly simplified forms. His work occupies a compelling position between fine art, public sculpture, and graphic design, drawing equally from classical portraiture, Japanese woodblock prints, and contemporary digital culture. Opie's pieces are held in major institutional collections worldwide, including Tate, the National Portrait Gallery in London, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, underscoring his critical and market relevance. Sprinters, Paris, (Male) from 2024 represents a continuation of Opie's sustained investigation into movement and the human body in motion. The laser cut museum board relief demonstrates his masterful ability to render kinetic energy through reduction, capturing the explosive dynamism of athletic performance with characteristic economy of line. The layered construction creates subtle dimensionality, allowing the work to occupy space between painting and sculpture—a tension that has long defined Opie's practice. The Paris reference situates the piece within his ongoing engagement with specific urban contexts and the 2024 Olympic Games, grounding the universal gesture of running within a particular cultural moment. Executed as an edition of 36, this work offers accessibility to Opie's practice while maintaining the material presence and craftsmanship that distinguish his relief works from his printed editions. The substantial scale and physical depth reward extended viewing, revealing the precision of the cut edges and the interplay of shadow across the composition. For acquisition inquiries, please contact Guy Hepner.