Julian Opie, Teresa, John, Amy Tim, 2022, cut acrylic overlaid on acrylic panel, 35.4 x 36.6 x 2 in | 90 x 93 x 5 cm
Opera Gallery Miami will present Face to Face, an exhibition pairing Alex Katz and Julian Opie in a study of the human figure. Through painting, sculpture, and video, the artists explore how simplified imagery can convey identity. Their approaches reveal just how little detail a figure needs to remain recognizable.
Katz’s portraits preserve the distinct character of his subjects through crisp contours and carefully constructed compositions. In Yvonne in Green (1995), a woman emerges from a dark ground, her vivid clothing and poised silhouette commanding attention. Elsewhere, Nikki II (2006) draws the viewer close to the sitter’s gaze. Katz pares back the surrounding details, making the individual the focus.
British artist Julian Opie takes a more graphic approach. Influenced by digital imagery and public signage, he reduces the body to bold outlines and blocks of color. In The Angel 8 (2025), a simplified figure evokes movement through minimal detail. The result feels closer to a graphic icon than a traditional portrait, yet the human presence remains unmistakable.
The exhibition places these contrasting approaches in direct conversation. Katz captures the specificity of an individual, while Opie strips the figure down to its most legible form. Together, their work examines the tension between personal identity and visual shorthand, revealing how differently artists can interpret the same subject.
The exhibition also coincides with Miami Art Week, bringing these distinct approaches to figurative art into conversation during one of the city’s major art events.
Face to Face will be on view at Opera Gallery Miami from November 30 through December 23, 2026.
Opera Gallery Miami brings Alex Katz and Julian Opie together for Face to Face, an exhibition examining how contemporary artists depict the human figure.
Alex Katz, Yvonne in Green, 1995, oil on canvas, 48.1 x 72.1 in | 122.3 x 183.1 cm
Julian Opie, The Angel 8., 2025, vinyl on aluminum stretcher, 79.9 x 83.1 x 1.2 in | 203 x 211 x 3 cm
On view from November 30 to December 23, 2026, the exhibition explores how two distinct visual languages communicate identity through figurative art.
Julian Opie, Aniela Bathing. 2., 2013, silkscreen on painted wooden board, 39.4 x 16.4 x 1.2 in | 100 x 41.7 x 3 cm
By contrasting Katz’s individualized portraits with Opie’s simplified figures, Face to Face considers how artists balance personal identity with universal representation.
Alex Katz, Nikki II, 2006, oil on canvas, 48.1 x 96.3 in | 122.3 x 244.5 cm
