Chris Ofili /anglais by NESBITT JUDITH


Chris Ofili /anglais
Title : Chris Ofili /anglais
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 1854378708
ISBN-10 : 9781854378705
Language : English
Format Type : Paperback
Number of Pages : 176
Publication : First published March 1, 2010

The British painter Chris Ofili was born in Manchester in 1968 and is one of the most notable painters of his generation. He lives and works in London and Trinidad. Ofili's best-known works are complex and highly decorative canvases, built up from layers of paint combined with other materials including sequins, glitter, map pins and images cut from magazines. Their subject matter often refers to his Nigerian heritage and the wider African American and Afro-Caribbean experience, making reference to sources as diverse as Zimbabwean cave paintings, blaxploitation movies, comic books, funk and hip-hop album covers, pornography and the Bible. A trademark element in his paintings has been his use of varnished elephant dung, sometimes decorated with map pins, either as a support for the paintings or applied directly to the canvas. Ofili's painting "The Holy Virgin Mary" caused controversy when it arrived in Brooklyn in 1999 as part of the exhibition Sensation where it was attacked by then-mayor Rudi Guiliani for being blasphemous. Ofili won the Turner Prize in 1998 and represented Great Britain in the Venice Biennale of 2005. In recent years he has also created sculpture in bronze and numerous works on paper. The book will illustrate works from throughout Ofili's career, including new works made especially for this exhibition. It will include a new interview with the artist, giving insight into his inspiration and motivation, as well as including essays by leading critics that examine the remarkable achievements of an artist at the forefront of the contemporary art scene worldwide. This title includes contributions from Okwui Enwezor, Ekow Eshun and Attillah Springer.

Chris Ofili /anglais Reviews

  • Shane

    A strong collection of Ofili's works in printed form. Includes over 15 years of paintings by one of the best contemporary painters. It is fantastic to have such a breadth of the artist's work in one collected, printed object.

    Written texts include a comprehensive dissection of Ofili's work by curator and critic Okwui Enwezor (The Vexations and Pleasures of Colour) and a wonderful poetic text, The Healer by Attillah Springer.

    Although mostly of a high standard, some of the painting images are disappointing in quality, and this is an unfortunate let-down in an otherwise strong book.

  • Tereneh

    Inspired by the recent New Museum retrospective in New York. I raided the art library of someone I know and found this book. It gives interesting insight and context into Mr Ofili's work, though and this is like most art monographs, representing the work is so difficult. Especially considering the almost sculptural collage like paintings of his earlier work. As well as the dark blue-black paintings that even when you are in front of them are hard to see, but what an amazing experience! It forces you to come as close as possible to the canvas, stunning. As well as the delicate but powerful study portraits of 'couples' two sets were recently shown in the new film "Top Five."

    Each work in the many phases of Ofili's work is so different from one another in technique and texture. He is a master.

    However, I am curious about the author's focus on comparing Ofili with other Black artists, almost exclusively. I thought it interesting in some ways but ultimately limiting.

    Overall though a nice survey of his work written by someone who is obviously an art scholar.