Maria (1) (C. 158), 2011

Widely associated with the New British Sculpture movement, Julian Opie is a visual artist whose works draw influence from a wide range of subjects including classical portraiture, Japanese woodblocks and billboards. Among Opie’s most notable works are his LCD animations, Christine Blinking and Suzanne Walking, as well as his simplified portraits that depict subjects through basic lines and blocks of colour, exemplified in his New York Couple series. Using a diverse range of both traditional and technological materials, such as painted steel, vinyl and digital software, Opie has created his own unique style that produces condensed, yet thought-provoking images of every-day life, merging elements of Minimalism with aspects of Pop Art – the artist has previously cited Roy Liechtenstein and Andy Warhol as influences on his style. (Artist website)