Release date: Thursday, September 11, 2025
GINZA SIX, the largest commercial facility in the Ginza area, will exhibit "Marathon. Women.", the latest work by Julian Opie, a world-renowned British contemporary artist, in the atrium space located in the center of the facility from Thursday, September 11, 2025.
©Julian Opie
GINZA SIX, with the theme "From Ginza to the World," serves as a cultural hub, collaborating with notable artists and creators active around the world to display installations and artworks that stimulate the senses throughout the building. It is popular as a place where you can experience authentic art and feel a cultural experience while enjoying shopping.
Newly appearing in the central atrium space that symbolizes GINZA SIX is a new video work by Julian Opie, whose style of depicting traditional motifs with simple expressions reminiscent of pictograms is highly acclaimed not only in the art world but also in the wider cultural scene.
The latest work, "Marathon. Women.", is an installation set on LED signage that appears to float in an atrium, with runners drawn in colorful, simple lines running at different speeds. Julian Opie, who has a strong interest in the exhibition environment itself, created this ambitious work, his first large-scale "floating" video installation, with the aim of creating a work that would have meaning in a lively space and blend into nature.
The instinctive human movement of "running" permeates the entire space, bringing a sense of immersion and new awareness to visitors. Taking advantage of the characteristics of the central atrium of GINZA SIX, this is the first "moving" work in the space, and can be viewed from various angles, up, down, left and right, while moving around the floors.
©Julian Opie *Images are for illustrative purposes only and are subject to change without notice.
Installation Overview
A new installation titled "Marathon. Women." by Julian Opie, a world-renowned contemporary British artist, will be on display in the central atrium space.
This LED video installation, based on the motif of British female sprinters, depicts seven runners, each with a different color and speed, running endlessly across a floating rectangular screen. Images are displayed on both the inside and outside of the screen, allowing visitors to view the movements from multiple angles from the four floors, from the second to fifth floors.
A movement deeply rooted in the human instinct to "run" spreads throughout the space, creating an overwhelming sense of dynamism and immersion.
[Work title] Marathon. Women.
[Artist] Julian Opie [Exhibition location] GINZA SIX 2F central atrium [Exhibition period] Thursday, September 11, 2025 – Autumn 2026 (planned)
[Size] W 10m x D 8m x H 1m
Organized by: GINZA SIX Retail Management Co., Ltd. Cooperation: MAHO KUBOTA GALLERY
Julian Opie Profile
contemporary artist
Born in London, he studied fine art at Goldsmiths College (now Goldsmiths, University of London) and currently lives and works in London.
Opie's distinctive visual language is instantly recognizable and reflects the artist's interest in how we perceive and understand images. His work draws influences from classical portraiture, Egyptian hieroglyphics, Japanese ukiyo-e prints, as well as public signs and road signs, connecting the simple and clear visual language of the modern everyday with the essence of art history.
His exhibitions have been held at major museums including the Hayward Gallery and ICA in London, MAK in Vienna, Art Tower Mito, Forsen Foundation in Shanghai, National Gallery of Victoria in Australia, and Berardo Museum in Lisbon, and he has also participated in the Delhi Triennale, Venice Biennale, and Documenta.
Projects in public spaces include City Hall Park in New York, Seoul Square in Seoul, South Korea, Carnaby Street in London, Melbourne in Australia, Pacific Place in Hong Kong, Takamatsu City, and Porte de Clichy Station in Paris.
His work is held in major public collections around the world, including the Tate Gallery in London, the British Museum, the National Portrait Gallery, the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Valencia Institute of Contemporary Art in Spain, and the Wuhan Museum of Art in China.
www.julianopie.com
<Representative works>
©Julian Opie
Exhibition at Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery
(2019)
©Julian Opie
Walking in Lisbon.
(2022)
©Julian Opie
Charles. Jiwon. Nethaneel. Elena.
(2024)
©Julian Opie
La Llotja, Palma.
(2024)
<Julian Opie Interview>
The GINZA SIX website has published a feature article and video featuring an interview conducted at Julian Opie's studio in Shoreditch, London, where the work was created. Opie spoke about the role of art in public spaces and the background to the creation of "Marathon. Women."
URL: https://ginza6.tokyo/gsix2025/art/interview (Scheduled to be released on September 11th)
[GINZA SIX Retail Management Co., Ltd.] Press Release
<Past coverage>
GINZA SIX Autumn 2025 Renewal Information
GINZA SIX to hold first ever "BIG CAT BANG: THE FINAL," a culmination of art works in the atrium
