Born: October 10, 1968, Manchester, England
Nationality: British
Style: YBA, Painting
Influences: African art, religious imagery, popular culture
"I'm interested in the power of images to provoke emotions."
Notable Artwork
No Woman No Cry (1998)
About Chris Ofili
Born: October 10, 1968, Manchester, England Nationality: British Style: YBA, Painting Influences: African art, religious imagery, popular culture Major Exhibitions: “No Woman No Cry” (1998), “The Holy Virgin Mary” (1996), “Afrodizzia” (2000) Quote: “I’m interested in the power of images to provoke emotions.” Website: https://www.davidzwirner.com/artists/chris-ofili/
Notable Artwork: No Woman No Cry (1998)
This painting is a tribute to Stephen Lawrence, a Black British teenager who was murdered in a racially motivated attack. The painting features a portrait of a weeping woman, with each tear containing a collaged image of Lawrence’s face. The work also incorporates elephant dung, a material that Ofili often uses in his art.
Significance
No Woman No Cry is a powerful and moving work that addresses issues of race, violence, and grief. Ofili’s use of elephant dung, a controversial material, sparked debate about the appropriateness of using such materials in art, but it also connected the work to his African heritage. The painting won the Turner Prize in 1998.