Ruth Smoking 2
Ruth Smoking 2
Signed Print
Julian Opie
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Medium: Screenprint
Edition size: 50
Year: 2006
Size: H 121cm x W 85cm
Signed: Yes
Format: Signed Print
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Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Location | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2013 | Christie's London | United Kingdom | |||
| September 2008 | Phillips London | United Kingdom |
Meaning & Analysis
Characteristic of much of Julian Opie’s work from the mid-2000s, Ruth Smoking 2 is a three-quarter length portrait from 2006, of an art collector named Ruth, who commissioned the portrait herself. This print is rendered in Opie’s typical figurative style with thick bold lines, simplified shapes and bright blocks of colour.
Inspired by the woodblock prints of Japanese artist Kitagawa Utamaro, as well as early Renaissance painters such as Giovanni Bellini and Fra Angelico, Opie deliberately frames these images of Ruth as three-quarter length portraits to place his work in a historical, painterly context. In referencing classical poses through the medium of computer drawing programs and photography, Opie questions the nature of representation throughout art history.
Opie presents the viewer with the absolute minimum by which the subject can be recognised, with buttons for eyes, two lines for a mouth, and the image created with flat, block colours. The model in this work is fictionalised through the highly stylised rendering of the image and in the presentation of the portrait as a type, rather than as an individual. Working to depersonalise the portrait with his drastically pared-back style, Opie opens the subject to a multitude of interpretations from the viewer.
Julian Opie, born in 1958, dances through the contemporary art scene with a distinctive digital allure. A trailblazer of the 1980s New British Sculpture movement, Opie's work is a highly stylised blend of Pop Art and minimalism which navigates the intersection of technology and visual expression. From his early experiments with computer-generated art to his iconic portraits and animated installations, Opie's work exudes a captivating simplicity. His signature style, marked by bold lines and reduced forms, is internationally recognisable and has made him a key player in British contemporary art.
