Chris Ofili: Joyful Sorrow

About Chris Ofili

Chris Ofili (b. 1968) explores the intersection of desire identity and representation in his work which merges abstraction and figuration; vibrant symbolic and often mysterious his paintings and works on paper incorporate a range of aesthetic and cultural sources. He has presented solo exhibitions at venues including the Institute of Contemporary Art Miami (20172019); National Gallery London (2017); New Museum New York (20142015); The Arts Club of Chicago (2010); Tate Britain London (2010 and 2005); Kestner Gesellschaft Hannover (2006); The Studio Museum in Harlem New York (2005); and Serpentine Gallery London (1998). Ofili represented Britain in the 50th Venice Biennale in 2003 and won the Turner Prize in 1998. He lives and works in Trinidad. Jason Allen-Paisant is a scholar an award-winning poet and a writer. His work explores how Afro-diasporic artists and communities shape their futures through embodied philosophies focusing on the intersections of poetry and philosophy. His debut poetry collection Thinking with Trees won the 2022 OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature. His second book Self-Portrait as Othello has earned significant accolades including the 2023 Forward Prize for Best Collection and the T.S. Eliot Prize. He is a professor of critical theory and creative writing at the University of Manchester.