adminArtists’ Workshop no one knew who he was and he was only a young emerging artist equipped with little experience.
More than a decade later, Chris Ofili is one of the world’s living internationally acclaimed artists for his vibrant, technically complex and meticulously executed paintings and works on paper. He has developed his works from predominantly abstract to a signature figurative style that bridges the gap between the sacred and the profane and between high art and popular culture.
So then how did the National Gallery of Zimbabwe first come into encounter with Chris Ofili and his work?
At the beginning of his career in 1992 Chris visited Zimbabwe and made his first cow and elephant dung paintings after being fascinated by what he thought was a mysterious object in Zimbabwe – dried dung.
During the same workshop held at Cyrene Mission, Chris made several untitled paintings, three of which were later left behind at the National Gallery in Bulawayo on permanent loan by the Pachipamwe trustees.
On Ofili’s return to England elephant dung quickly came to play a crucial role in his art, particularly his use of two balls of the material to serve as physical supports to lift paintings off the floor. During his rise to fame he caused a stir with his work The Holy Virgin Mary.
Nonetheless, his works centre around the relationship between form and content, often using several layers of paint, resin glitter, collage elements and occasionally elephant dung.
Ofili enlists sexual, cultural, historical and religious references to create uniquely aesthetic and physical works that expose the darker undercurrents of society, while also celebrating contemporary black culture.
Over the last few years the Gallery has been in conversation with the agents of the artist in order to have the works formally and legally transferred to the National Gallery of Zimbabwe’s Permanent Collection.
The largest piece is nearly two meters long, depicting what appears to be a figure on which six pieces of dung are attached and the other two are expressionist paintings of figures.
The Executive Director of the National Gallery, Mrs. Doreen Sibanda expressed elation at the gesture reporting that the donation will form a very important anchor in the contemporary art collection and will join the existing group of works that celebrate contemporary works that represent current global artistic practice.
The Gallery is proud to be in possession of the work of an artist who is producing works that command global acclaim and high value whilst he is still alive. This honourable move has boosted the Gallery’s permanent collection.
Meanwhile, the Tate Gallery in London has offered technical conservation of the works designed to stabilise and preserve the unusual materials as they are experienced in the conservation of the distinguished artist’s work.
This week it has been confirmed that a Tate Gallery Conservationist will visit Zimbabwe to undertake the delicate work in Bulawayo before the end of the year.
Born in Manchester of Nigerian parents, Ofili received his Bachelor of Fine Arts and Masters in Fine Arts between 1991 and 1993 in London. He won the prestigious Turner Prize in 1998 which put his name on the arts global map. Chris also represented Britain in the 50th Venice Biennale in 2003. His works are represented in prominent collections internationally including the British Museum, Carnegie Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art, The Museum of Modern Art, Tate Gallery, Victoria and Albert Museum and the Walker Art Centre.
Online Reporter