MIAMI, FLA.- Opera Gallery Miami is pleased to present 'Face to Face', an exhibition bringing together the work of Alex Katz and Julian Opie around one of art's most persistent subjects: the human figure. Through paintings, sculptures and video works, the exhibition considers how each artist simplifies the figure to make it immediate and recognizable.
Alex Katz, Nikki II, 2006, oil on canvas, 48.1 x 96.3 in | 122.3 x 244.5 cm
Although their visual languages differ, both artists pare back descriptive detail to focus on the elements that make a figure legible—a face, a gesture, a posture or the outline of a body. Their approaches diverge, however, in what remains: Katz retains the individuality of his subjects, while Opie pushes the figure towards a more universal visual language.
Alex Katz came of age in the New York art world when Abstract Expressionism dominated, yet remained committed to figuration throughout his career. Taking inspiration from film close-ups, fashion, advertising, his paintings are defined by flattened space, crisp contours and an economy of detail. His images appear direct, but their simplicity is carefully constructed: his subjects feel closely observed, while the flattened compositions make clear the artifice of the image. In Nikki II (2006), a tight crop draws the viewer into the sitter's gaze, while Yvonne in Green (1995) isolates the figure against a dark ground, letting color, expression and posture carry the image. In both works, the reduction of detail brings the individuality of his subjects into sharper focus.
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
In contrast, Julian Opie approaches the figure through a visual language shaped by graphic design, public signage, digital imagery and animation. Associated with the Young British Artists (YBA) movement of the 1990s, he has developed a distinctive vocabulary of simplified lines, blocks of color and repeated forms. His figures are stripped of descriptive detail but remain immediately recognizable. In Angel Couple 9 (2026), two bodies are distilled into clean, graphic forms, while The Angel 8 (2025) uses repetition and implied movement to suggest the rhythm of a passing figure.
"We're thrilled to host 'Face to Face' during this year's Miami Art Week," said Dan Benchetrit, Director of Opera Gallery Miami. "Presented side by side, Alex Katz and Julian Opie offer two very different approaches to the figure: Katz through the particularity of the sitter, and Opie through a visual language shaped by simplified, graphic forms. Bringing them together allows us to look closely at how observation and graphic representation can shape our understanding of the human form."
Alongside the exhibition, Opera Gallery will be present at Art Miami, which runs from December 1–6, 2026 at One Herald Plaza (NE 14th Street & Biscayne Bay), Miami, FL 33132.
Alex Katz, Cynthia, c. 1980, oil on aluminum, 71 x 8 in | 180.3 x 20.3 cm
Alex Katz
Alex Katz (b. 1927, Brooklyn, New York) is an American figurative artist known for his portraits and landscapes, characterized by flattened forms, crisp contours, close cropping and an economy of detail. He studied at the Cooper Union Art School and the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, where he developed his practice through painting from life and working en plein air. Returning to New York, he began exhibiting in the 1950s and increasingly focused on portraits of family, friends, artists and writers, developing a distinctive approach to capturing fleeting expressions and moments. Working at a time when Abstract Expressionism dominated the New York art world, Katz maintained a sustained commitment to figuration, combining direct observation with a highly constructed treatment of color, scale and composition. His work has been the subject of major retrospectives internationally, including at the Whitney Museum of American Art, the Albertina and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and is held in major public collections including Tate, the Centre Pompidou and the Art Institute of Chicago.
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.
Julian Opie
Julian Opie (b. 1958, London) is a British artist known for his distinctive approach to portraiture, landscape and the human figure, working across painting, sculpture, drawing, printmaking, animation and digital media. He studied at Goldsmiths School of Art and emerged within the British art scene of the 1980s. His work is characterized by simplified outlines, flat areas of color and repeated forms, drawing on sources ranging from classical portraiture and Egyptian hieroglyphs to Japanese woodblock prints, road signs and digital imagery. Moving between traditional and contemporary techniques, Opie uses painting, aluminum, mosaic, LED and LCD displays, animation and laser cutting to explore how images are constructed and experienced. His work is held in major public collections including Tate, the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, the National Portrait Gallery and The Museum of Modern Art in New York.
Opera Gallery
Founded in Singapore in 1994, Opera Gallery has forged a network of galleries worldwide with locations in London, Paris, New York, Geneva, Madrid and Dubai, establishing itself as one of the leading forces within the international art market.
Headed by Gilles Dyan, Chairman and Founder, Opera Gallery specializes in modern, post-war, and contemporary art. In addition, the gallery represents international emerging artists such as Andy Denzler, Pieter Obels and Gustavo Nazareno, alongside internationally recognized names such as Ron Arad, Manolo Valds and Anselm Reyle.
For more than 30 years, Opera Gallery's mission has been to showcase the dynamic, innovative, and diverse expressions of modern and contemporary art through its ambitious yearly exhibition programming and collaborations with private collections and leading public institutions. Opera Gallery in Miami is led by Dan Benchetrit.
