Chris Ofili

Chris Ofili (b. 1968) is a British painter of Nigerian heritage known for his vibrant, intricately layered works that fuse figuration, abstraction and cultural symbolism. Born in Manchester, he studied at the Chelsea School of Art (BA, 1991) and the Royal College of Art (MA, 1993), and undertook a one-year exchange scholarship in Berlin in 1992.

He rose to prominence in the 1990s as one of the Young British Artists (YBAs), distinguishing himself with his use of unconventional materials — resin, glitter, magazine cuttings and, most famously, elephant dung — paired with bold palettes and rhythmic patterns. His influences span from Zimbabwean cave paintings and Renaissance altarpieces to African textiles, hip-hop, blaxploitation films and religious iconography.

His 1996 work The Holy Virgin Mary provoked significant controversy when exhibited in the Sensation! exhibition, notably drawing the ire of New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani. In 1998, Ofili was awarded the Turner Prize — the first Black artist and first painter in over a decade to receive the honour — for his emotive work No Woman No Cry, a tribute to Stephen Lawrence and his mother, Doreen.

In 2000, he visited Trinidad to teach a workshop in Port of Spain alongside his friend Peter Doig. After numerous visits, he relocated there permanently in 2005, finding in Trinidad's landscape and light a new visual language that shaped his later work.

Over the years, Ofili has expanded his practice beyond painting to include large-scale watercolours and tapestry-like works, inspired by his Caribbean surroundings.

His work is included in major public collections worldwide, such as the Tate, the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), and the Art Institute of Chicago.