Skip to main content

Conversation Piece

Chris Ofili Wants to Help You Do Your Dishes

By

Chris Ofili Wants to Help You Do Your Dishes
Chris Ofili’s Afromuses (Man) Tea Towel, 2014

Here’s what you need to know to bring Chris Ofili’sAfromuses Tea Towel into your kitchen (and your heart):

1. A member of the influential Young British Artists group, Ofili is best known for colorful figurative paintings rendered in his distractive graphic style. Many of his works incorporate various collaged elements, including most notably the elephant dung that earned him a well-publicized rebuke from New York City’s then-mayor Rudy Giuliani for being “sick.”

2. Despite the controversies his more subversive pieces have engendered, Ofili was awarded the prestigious Turner Prize in 1998—the first black artist to do so. He’s since gone on to have solo shows in museums and institutions around the world and is currently represented by the heavy-hitting international galleries Victoria Miro, David Zwirner, and Contemporary Fine Arts.

3. In this collaborative project by Third Drawer Down Studio and the New Museum (occasioned by Ofili’s 2014 New Museum exhibition “Night and Day”), works from Ofili’s 1995-2005 watercolor series “Afromuses” are printed onto high-quality teal towels designed for both display and use. “Afromuses” features portraits representing “figurative expressions” rather than individuals, each derived from the history of art as well as impressions from everyday life.

[related-works-module]

discover the newest art
You may also like
Discover
Print ▸
Photograph ▸
Painting ▸
Sculpture ▸
Mixed Media ▸
Work on Paper ▸

DISCOVER

a treasure trove of fine art from the world's most renowned artists, galleries, museums and cultural institutions. We offer exclusive works you can't find anywhere else.

LEARN

through exclusive content featuring art news, collecting guides, and interviews with artists, dealers, collectors, curators and influencers.

BUY

authentic artworks from across the globe. Collecting with us means you're helping to sustain creative culture and supporting organizations that are making the world a better place.

CONNECT

with our art advisors for buying advice or to help you find the art that's perfect for you. We have the resources to find works that suit your needs.

INSIDER ACCESS TO THE WORLD'S BEST ART

Artspace offers you authentic, exclusive works from world-renowned artists, galleries, museums and cultural institutions. Collecting with us helps support creative culture while bringing you art news, interviews and access to global art resources.

  • COLLECT FROM 300+ GALLERIES & MUSEUMS

Not a member yet? |Forgot your password?
Damien Hirst, Pardon, 2012
James Welling, H1, 2006
Josh Smith,LARGE IMAGE J.S. (Untitled, 2006), 2012
Sol LeWitt, Two Centimeter Wavy Bands In Colors, 1996
Coke Wisdom O'Neal, The Gospel of Wealth, 2013
Alex Katz, Coleman Pond II, 2007

prompt placeholder

prompt placeholder