Julian Opie Installs Two Works in Poydras Corridor Sculpture Exhibition in New Orleans
The Facts
On June 22, 2026, The Helis Foundation announced the inclusion of works by Julian Opie in the Poydras Corridor Sculpture Exhibition (PCSE) in downtown New Orleans. The exhibition, recognized as the leading rotating public sculpture show in the American South, extends along Poydras Street from Convention Center Boulevard to North Galvez Street. Opie presents two sculptures from his Busan Walkers series: "Yellow phone." (2023) and "Turquoise hair." (2023), both rendered in high-gloss auto paint on aluminum. Each depicts a figure in motion, derived from photographs of passersby on the Busan seafront, translated into drawings and then into a series of twenty statues. The works are among 13 installations currently on view in the corridor.
The Signal
The inclusion of Opie's work in a public sculpture corridor signals the growing institutional embrace of digital-age figuration in outdoor settings. For collectors, Opie's simplified, volumetric figures—balancing physical presence with virtual flatness—represent a market-savvy intersection of Pop sensibility and contemporary observation. The PCSE's rotating model, supported by The Helis Foundation, continues to position New Orleans as a destination for large-scale public art, offering artists like Opie a high-traffic platform that extends beyond traditional gallery walls.
- Artists: Julian Opie
- Locations: New Orleans
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