INDIANAPOLIS, IN.- The Arts Council of Indianapolis and the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA), with the support of the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission, are pleased to announce that “Pacing”, a large site-specific art installation by internationally renowned artist Julian Opie, will debut at the Indianapolis Museum of Art (IMA) this fall. “Pacing,” is part of the upcoming public art exhibition in downtown Indianapolis entitled Julian Opie: Signs, which is the artist’s largest public project to date. The exhibition will now feature eleven installations and opens on September 28th. Five of the eleven artworks, including “Pacing,” are new and will debut at this show.

“We are delighted that Julian’s public project in Indianapolis is to become even more significant with the addition of this spectacular installation at the IMA. We are grateful to the IMA not only for partnering on the commissioning of this new, site-specific work from Julian, but for their ongoing support of our public art programs in Indianapolis,” said Mindy Taylor Ross, Director of Public Art for the Arts Council of Indianapolis and organizer of Julian Opie: Signs.

“Pacing” contains 90 drawings that comprise four rows of figures that appear to be walking along the glass windows of the IMA’s main entrance, the Efroymson Family Entrance Pavilion. Seen together, the characters, which each measure approximately 120 inches high and 40 inches wide, look as if they are pacing in two different directions.

“The eye can read movement into a series of still drawings as it scans across them from left to right,” said Opie. “I envisioned the glass facade at the IMA almost acting as blank reels of cine film where one could create an animation. We will place every other frame of four of my walking films on every other window to create an image of movement and because the facade is curved, of circulation.”

“The IMA is thrilled to work with the Arts Council to commission and premiere a new site-specific work by Julian Opie. “Pacing” is a sensitive and intelligent response to the unique architecture of the museum entrance and it creatively reinforces the IMA’s reputation as a locus of artistic energy and innovation,” said Lisa Freiman, the IMA’s curator of contemporary art.

Julian Opie was born in London, England in 1958 and he lives and works there today. He attended Goldsmith’s Art School in London and was awarded a residency at the Atelier Calder in Saché, France and a Sargant Fellowship at the British School in Rome, Italy. His artwork has been featured in numerous solo and group exhibitions around the world and can be found in public collections such as the Tate and National Portrait Galleries in London, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, and the Carnegie Museum in Pittsburgh, among others.

Julian Opie creates stylized drawings from his photographic portraits of fashion, music, and racing icons, as well as people and landscapes from his everyday life. He is interested in how we read or interpret visual images that we encounter in the world around us. Opie simplifies and reduces these common everyday images to their most essential components, line and color, to make them appear like commercial graphics. As a result, the images are universally recognizable and allow the viewer to think about the associations they have with these “signs”. Opie’s drawings are brought to life using advertising technology and sign making techniques.

“We are pleased that the IMA supports our city’s partnership with the Arts Council and Cultural Development Commission to produce important art projects in the public realm,” said Indianapolis Mayor Bart Peterson. “Indianapolis is a city that supports partnerships and collaborations in both the public and private sectors. This is what makes our city a great place to live, work, and play.”

Opie’s art promises to create a bold visual contrast to the Indianapolis cityscape. Julian Opie: Signs will include an electrically lit, towering image of Canadian rocker Bryan Adams rising 16-1/2 feet high in White River State Park, while the city center will host a series of glass and metal sculptures of various men and women. A sky bridge over a busy thoroughfare will be wrapped with the vinyl artwork entitled “Christine Swam Amongst the Fishes”, while two LED sculptures – one of a man, one of a woman – will be walking with pedestrians on two well-traveled city corners. A four-sided LED entitled “Sara Dancing” debuts on a busy intersection.

In addition to Indianapolis, Opie’s work will be displayed concurrently around the world in Shanghai, China; Zurich, Switzerland; Malaga, Spain; London, England; Toronto and Ontario, Canada and Boston, Massachusetts.

Julian Opie: Signs is presented by the Arts Council of Indianapolis as part of Public Art Indianapolis a program supported by the Indianapolis Cultural Development Commission. Public Art Indianapolis was initiated in 2004 and encourages the presentation of art by local, national and international artists in public spaces throughout the city. The Indianapolis Museum of Art, the Indianapolis Museum of Contemporary Art, the Herron School of Art & Design at IUPUI, the Indianapolis Art Center, and Young Audiences will provide additional exhibition venues and educational resources.