Name: We Swam In The Sea
Brand: Julian Opie
Rating: 4.9 (226 reviews)

Meaning & Analysis

We Swam In The Sea is a signed woodcut print made by the renowned British artist Julian Opie in 2003. Coming in an edition size of 25 the print shows a woman swimming underwater, surrounded by fish. The woman and fish are rendered using thick, black outlines and set against a blue backdrop. Opie’s prints often feature a range of bright colours, however the woman and fish in this print are drawn in black and white.

We Swam In The Sea is part of Opie’s We Swam Amongst The Fishes collection which features a range of large-scale prints showing fish swimming in open spaces of water. The prints are all characterised by their use of simplified shapes rendered using thick outlines. Opie’s use of bold, black outlines has meant the artist is often compared to Patrick Caulfield. Opie has also been compared to Roy Lichtenstein and Lichtenstein’s cartoon style imagery, as well as Andy Warhol due to Warhol’s use of bright and bold colours and affinity with the screen printing technique.

Opie produces a flattened picture plain in this artwork by uploading photographs of the sea onto his computer and digitally editing them, reducing the images to pure line and surface. Despite the flat picture, the artwork exudes a sense of realism as Opie’s talent in conveying movement makes it seem as if the fish are really swimming around the composition.

Julian Opie, born in 1958, dances through the contemporary art scene with a distinctive digital allure. A trailblazer of the 1980s New British Sculpture movement, Opie's work is a highly stylised blend of Pop Art and minimalism which navigates the intersection of technology and visual expression. From his early experiments with computer-generated art to his iconic portraits and animated installations, Opie's work exudes a captivating simplicity. His signature style, marked by bold lines and reduced forms, is internationally recognisable and has made him a key player in British contemporary art.