"People 14.", a moving portrait by Julian Opie owned by Masatoshi Kumagai, GMO Internet Group's Founder, Chairman and Group CEO, will be unveiled to the public for the first time at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.

GMO Internet Group, Inc. (Founder, Chairman and Group CEO: Masatoshi Kumagai) has decided to showcase the acclaimed work "People 14." by world-renowned contemporary artist Julian Opie at the Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.
This piece is one of the Opie works collected over many years by Masatoshi Kumagai, who is also known as the "world's greatest Julian Opie collector." The purpose of this special exhibit is to offer visitors to the Expo the opportunity to encounter "authentic art." This work, created using a double-sided LED display, is a "moving portrait" that depicts people passing by in a minimalistic style. By intertwining stillness and movement, it offers viewers a new visual experience.
Through this exhibit, GMO Internet Group aims to contribute to the rediscovery of art’s value in a digital society and the promotion of coexistence among diverse cultures.

Artwork Information

- Title: People 14.
- Artist: Julian Opie
- Year Created: 2014
- Exhibition Period: April 13, 2025 (Sunday) – October 13, 2025 (Monday)
- Exhibition Location: Empowering Zone, Next to the Austria Pavilion
(Reference URL: https://www.expovisitors.expo2025.or.jp/map?)
- Dimensions: Width 1266mm × Depth 1040mm × Height 2256mm
- Material: Double-sided LED Display
- Description: Simplified lines and colors depict people who walk and blink on the display. By adding subtle movements to a static portrait, it established a new genre of "moving portraits." The expression, which blends into urban landscapes, symbolically reflects the human presence in contemporary society.

This piece is owned by Masatoshi Kumagai and is usually displayed at the entrance to GMO Internet Group's headquarters (Shibuya Cerulean Tower). For the outdoor exhibition at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, after close consultation with Julian Opie himself, a new display unit was specially produced to suit the exhibition environment while keeping the content of the artwork unchanged.

About Julian Opie:

Julian Opie, born in London in 1958, is a leading artist in contemporary British art. He simplifies traditional art motifs such as landscapes and figures by using pictogram and anime-like expressions and color schemes. His minimalist style continues to garner widespread support not only in the art world but also in a broader cultural scene. Well-versed in Japanese art, he is also a collector of Ukiyo-e prints by artists like Hiroshige and Utamaro, and their influence on his style is well-known. His works are housed in major museums worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the British Museum, the Tate Gallery, and the Stedelijk Museum. In Japan, they are part of collections at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, the National Museum of Art, Osaka, and in Takamatsu City, among others. Recent exhibitions include solo shows at the Tokyo Opera City Art Gallery (2019), the Lehmbruck Museum in Germany (2019), the Berardo Collection Museum in Portugal (2020), Newlands House Gallery in the UK (2021), and the Venice Biennale (2022), to name a few. He has also worked on projects beyond the art world, such as album covers for Blur, stage designs for the Royal Ballet in London and U2.

Background of the Exhibition - Masatoshi Kumagai's Passion for Art

This exhibition is based on the philosophy of GMO Internet Group Representative, Masatoshi Kumagai, who believes in "social contribution through art." Kumagai recognizes art as a "source that enriches the soul and stimulates creativity." He has a deep connection with Julian Opie's work and owns what is considered to be one of the largest collections of Opie's works worldwide.

Masatoshi Kumagai's Comment:
"Julian Opie is an artist who expresses the incredibly complex nature of people through extremely simple forms. This parallels the fact that the Internet, with all its intricate mechanisms, is fundamentally formed by the simple combination of '0' and '1.' I was profoundly moved by this commonality, and felt compelled to convey to many people that 'true simplicity is hidden within apparent complexity' and 'the importance of discerning the essence of things,' leading me to collect one of the largest Opie collections. Additionally, "Artists express themselves through their works, and collectors express their thoughts through 'curation'—the acts of selecting, collecting, and exhibiting works."

"The reason Opie's works are highly regarded worldwide is due to their power to capture the essence within simple expressions. While the Internet, which I have expanded, has brought the time and cost to compare things closer to zero, it has made authentic and essential matters more crucial. In this information-saturated modern era, the ability to discern the essence of things is increasingly vital. To nurture this ability, it is important that our partners (employees) regularly engage with authentic art."
At GMO Internet Group, the engineers and creators are encouraged to enhance their sensibilities and creativity so that "everything they create is at the utmost style, grace, and intuitiveness. " From this desire, the entire headquarters in Shibuya has been named "GMO Gallery" and started permanently exhibiting Julian Opie's works.

Moreover, inside Shibuya Fukuras, where the Group's second headquarters resides, the "Banksy Exhibition GMO Digital Museum Tokyo, Shibuya" has been opened to the public. It provides a space where anyone can easily engage with "authentic art." Conveying the power of art broadly to society is regarded as an essential role we must fulfill as a company.

Presenting Julian Opie's work on the international stage of Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan, embodies these sentiments. It is hoped that this exhibition will not only be a special experience enriching the senses and creativity for GMO Internet Group partners but also for the many visitors from around the world who come to the Expo.

GMO Internet Group Headquarters "GMO Gallery" at Shibuya Cerulean Tower

GMO Internet Group will continue to communicate diverse cultural values, aiming to realize a society enriched through the integration of technology and art. Enjoy Julian Opie’s unique art experience at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai, Japan.