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Introduction

Chris Ofili (born 1968) is an English painter, sculptor and printmaker known for vibrant works that merge figuration and dreamlike abstraction. Often working in a variety of textures achieved by layering paint and collaged materials such as glitter, resin, magazine cut-outs, and elephant dung, Ofili examines the historical and contemporary black experience with references that range from Blaxploitation films and Nigerian cave paintings to political figures and religion. Since moving to Trinidad in 2005, Ofili has drawn inspiration from the island nation’s lush landscapes and local traditions, including its music and mystic folklore. 

Ofili's works have been the subject of solo exhibitions around the world, including at the Tate Britain, London; New Museum, New York; Arts Club of Chicago; Kestner Gesellschaft, Hanover; and the Studio Museum in Harlem, New York. In 1998, Ofili was awarded the Turner Prize, and in 2003 he represented Great Britain in the 50th Venice Biennale. In 2017 Ofili was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services to art. 

Chris Ofili has been making prints at Two Palms since 2006. The resulting works can be found in the collections of the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Museum of Modern Art, New York; Art Gallery of South Australia; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; and the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts, Kalamazoo, MI, among others. 

New Works 2

New Works 2 Thumbnails
Chris Ofili, Archer's Sunset

Young Satyr, 2021
Woodcut monoprint with raw pigments and gold leaf
22 3/4 x 32 3/4 inches
CO1134

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Chris Ofili, Pink Afternoon

Pink Afternoon, 2021
Etching on Suminagashi painting
40 x 28 inches
CO1109

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The Healer, 2009
Drypoint with aquatint and spitbite 
35 1/4 x 27 inches
Edition of 10

The Healer, 2009
Drypoint with aquatint and spitbite 
35 1/4 x 27 inches
Edition of 10

Inquire
Just a Drop, 2007
Etching
21 x 17 inches
Edition of 20

Just a Drop, 2007
Etching
21 x 17 inches
Edition of 20

Inquire
Chris Ofili, Archer's Sunset

Young Satyr, 2021
Woodcut monoprint with raw pigments and gold leaf
22 3/4 x 32 3/4 inches
CO1134

Chris Ofili, Pink Afternoon

Pink Afternoon, 2021
Etching on Suminagashi painting
40 x 28 inches
CO1109

The Healer, 2009
Drypoint with aquatint and spitbite 
35 1/4 x 27 inches
Edition of 10

The Healer, 2009
Drypoint with aquatint and spitbite 
35 1/4 x 27 inches
Edition of 10

Just a Drop, 2007
Etching
21 x 17 inches
Edition of 20

Just a Drop, 2007
Etching
21 x 17 inches
Edition of 20

Selected Exhibitions

Selected Solo Exhibitions
2022 Chris Ofili: Harvest, Victoria Miro, Venice
2022 Chris Ofili: The Othello Prints, Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University, New York
2017-2019 Chris Ofili, Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami, FL
2017  Chris Ofili: Weaving Magic, The National Gallery, London, UK
2014  Chris Ofili: Night and Day, New Museum, New York
2010  Chris Ofili, Tate Britain, London
2005  Chris Ofili: Afro Muses, The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, NY
2005  Chris Ofili: The Upper Room, Tate Britain, London, UK
2003  Chris Ofili: Within Reach, British Pavilion, 50th Venice Biennale, Venice, Italy 

Selected Awards

2017  Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE)
1998  Turner Prize, Tate Gallery, London, UK 
1993  Second Prize, Tokyo Print Biennale, Tokyo, Japan

Selected Public Collections

The Broad, Los Angeles, CA
The British Museum, London, UK 
Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh, PA 
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
National Portrait Gallery, London, UK
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, San Francisco, CA
The Studio Museum in Harlem, New York, NY
Tate Gallery, London, UK
Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, MN

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