The Work Of Manchester Born And Black Artist Chris Ofili

In the second chapter of this dissertation it will focus on the work of Manchester born and black artist Chris Ofili. Most known for his experimentation with elephant dung, Ofili communicates a humorous and rather stereotypical reaction to how an African man ‘should’ be painting, â€Å"You don’t exist, unless you start to build yourself up, and start to work† (Ofili 2010). There was much comment about Ofili becoming the first black contemporary artist whose name and work was known to a wider British public. Ofili, compared to Yinka Shoniabre, has never abandoned the idea that notions of race and identity are important factors within his artwork, Ofili quite simply understands that playing along side his stereotypes has offered his career for where he is today. ‘†¦Portraiture and black subjectivity represent important philosophical vectors in Ofili’s powerful figurative art, as if this conjunction between figuration and representation were not already visibly defined in the 181 watercolours.’ (Okwui Enwezor : Chris Ofili : Tate : 72) When one thinks back to Ofili’s early days in the art world he once strived to be how Yinka Shonibare communicates his art, not define him as a black artist. Ofili began his journey in Brick Lane market in London where he had crafted small figurines made from elephant dung, named ‘Shithead’. The crafted balls of dung attached with real teeth and strands of the artists dreadlocks which where held together with cooper wire. (Figure 3) Alongside someShow MoreRelated The Chris Ofili Controversy Essay example2472 Words   |  10 PagesThe Chris Ofili Controversy Most people may not know who Chris Ofili is, but chances are that many of them know one of his works, his painting â€Å"The Holy Virgin Mary†, displayed at the Brooklyn Museum of Art’s â€Å"Sensation† exhibition in 1999. The painting was extremely controversial because of Mary’s exposed breast being made of elephant dung and because of the porno cutouts surrounding Mary. Mayor Rudolph Giuliani and others, saying that such works were not appropriate for public display