Chris Ofili biography in Biographies from the artzine on artrepublic.comChris Ofili is probably best known for the use of Elephant dung in his works which made headlines when he won the Turner Prize in 1998. His works are vibrant, technically complex and meticulously executed, consisting of layers of paint, resin, glitter and collage. Elephant dung is often incorporated into his work with lumps attached to the canvas directly or used to support the paintings when displayed in the gallery space. Ofili's paintings are concerned with issues of black identity & experience and frequently employ racial stereotypes in order to challenge them. He draws on a wide range of cultural references, from the Bible to jazz and hip hop music, from Blake and Rodin to pornographic magazines. He studied in London at Chelsea School of Art (1988–91) and the Royal College of Art (1991–3). In 1992 he was awarded a travelling scholarship to Zimbabwe, which has profoundly influenced his art. His work is held in the permanent collections of the Victoria and Albert Museum, London, the Tate Gallery, London, and the Museum of Modern Art, New York.  |
