Lisson Gallery Artist Julian Opie Installs Two Works in New Orleans Poydras Corridor Sculpture Exhibition
The Facts
On June 22, 2026, The Helis Foundation announced the inclusion of two works by Julian Opie in the Poydras Corridor Sculpture Exhibition (PCSE) in downtown New Orleans. The artist presents "Yellow phone." (2023) and "Turquoise hair." (2023), both drawn from his Busan Walkers series. Rendered in high-gloss auto paint on aluminum, each two-and-a-half-meter-tall figure depicts a passerby originally photographed on the Busan seafront and translated into simplified, volumetric profiles. The works join 11 other sculptures along Poydras Street from Convention Center Boulevard to North Galvez Street. PCSE is recognized as the leading rotating public sculpture exhibition in the American South.
The Signal
The installation places Opie’s signature interplay between physical presence and digital imagery in a major public context, reinforcing the Helis Foundation’s role in bringing international contemporary art to New Orleans. For collectors, the outdoor exhibition model signals a growing trend of institutions investing in high-profile, long-term sculpture placements in civic spaces—often replacing traditional indoor fairs and biennials as points of cultural tourism. Opie’s recurring use of pedestrian figures in urban settings continues to resonate with audiences navigating an increasingly screen-mediated world.
- Artists: Julian Opie
- Galleries: Lisson Gallery
- Locations: New Orleans, Busan
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