Chris Ofili’s earliest paintings and prints were some of his most radical, breaking boundaries and setting the tone for a lifetime of work that unapologetically explores Black identity, racism, religion and pop culture.
The Manchester-born artist made a big splash in the art world in the early 1990s, after he visited Zimbabwe at the age of 23. Deeply moved by the region’s Stone Age cave paintings, which incorporated endless (presumably) finger-painted dots, Ofili returned to his studio and infused his paintings with the exuberance of his travels — and with some of the little balls of elephant dung he saw on his trip, which he also found intriguing and brought back to England.
Ofili was a member of the Young British Artists — a collective of London-based artists that included Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin and others that never shied from using non-traditional materials or tackling controversial subject matter. He found the spotlight in the late 1990s when then-New York City mayor Rudolph Giuliani publicly criticized the artist’s monumental depiction of an eroticized black Madonna that featured elephant dung and images of female genitalia.
So it was that Ofili became, for a time, best known for his elephant dung paintings. Then, in 1998, at the age of 30, Ofili won the coveted Turner Prize — he was the first Black artist to do so — and soon afterward, in 2003, he was selected to exhibit at the 50th Venice Biennale.
Over the years, Ofili has incorporated other surprising elements into his work, including resin, glitter, beads, oil paint, and pornographic cut-outs — a rich amalgamation of textures and colors, iconography and symbols. He has also found himself surrounded by controversy, as in 1996, when he painted a Black Madonna with elephant dung on her breast, set against a background of genitalia cut out of pornographic magazines. In 2017, Ofili was awarded a Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) in honor of his unusual and thought-provoking contributions to art.
Ofili’s work is held in the collections of some of the world’s most prominent public institutions, including the British Museum in London and the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Ofili enjoys ongoing exhibitions at prestigious museums like the Carnegie Museum of Art in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the Tate in London, the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles, and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. Today, Ofili lives and works in Trinidad.
Find authentic Chris Ofili paintings, prints and other art on 1stDibs.
Use Your Heart
By Chris Ofili
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Chris Ofili (b. 1968) is renowned for his vibrant, multi-layered works that celebrate Afrocentrism through both figurative and abstract approaches. He came to prominence in the 1990'...
Screen
Crowning of a Satyr
By Chris Ofili
Located in London, GB
Edition of 125 40 colour screenprint with hand applied 24-carat gold leaf on Somerset Tub Sized Satin White 410gsm. 76 x 60 cm (29.9 x 23.6 in) Signed and dated by the artist Chris...
Gold Leaf
Chris Ofili, Poolside: Etching on wove paper, Contemporary Art, Signed Print
By Chris Ofili
Located in Hamburg, DE
Chris Ofili (born 1968 in Manchester) Poolside, 2013 Medium: Etching on wove paper Dimensions: 45.1 x 35.6 cm (17.75 x 14 in) Edition of 55: Hand-signed and numbered Condition: Mint ...
Etching
$3,000
Chris Ofili, The Caged Bird’s Song (Voyeur) 2024. Limited, Signed Print & NGBook
By Chris Ofili
Located in Los Angeles, CA
Art Edition (No. 1–100), with the numbered and signed print The Caged Bird’s Song (Voyeur), 2024, by Chris Ofili. Art print, Giclée on 340gsm Hahnemühle Rag Metallic paper with deckl...
Fabric, Rag Paper, Giclée
Study for Ovid-Windfall
By Chris Ofili
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Chris Ofili (b. 1968), a member of the Young British Artists, is renowned for his vibrant, multi-layered works that celebrate Afrocentrism through both figurative and abstract approa...
Paper, Giclée
Chris Ofili, R.I.P. Stephen Lawrence 1974-1993: Contemporary Art
By Chris Ofili
Located in Hamburg, DE
Chris Ofili (born 1968 in Manchester) R.I.P. Stephen Lawrence 1974 – 1993, 2013 Medium: Lithograph and photoluminescent silkscreen on paper Print dimensions: 45 x 35.6 cm (17.7 x 14 ...
Lithograph
$3,500
Chris Ofili - print R.I.P. Stephen Lawrence UK racial violence victim Signed COA
By Chris Ofili
Located in New York, NY
Chris Ofili R.I.P. Stephen Lawrence 1974 - 1993, 2013 Lithographic print in 4 colours with silkscreened glow-in-the-dark text 17 7/10 × 14 inches Edition of 100 Accompanied by a numb...
Lithograph, Screen
$2,675Sale Price|20% Off
Chris Ofili - Mali Memory (Tea Dance)
By Chris Ofili
Located in London, GB
Chris Ofili Mali Memory (Tea Dance), 2014 Archival pigment print on Arches Aquarelle cotton rag paper wit deckled edges hand-signed and dated 25.4 x 20.3 cm - sheet 41 x 33 cm - fram...
Archival Pigment
$6,559
Chris Ofili, Untitled - 2000, Signed Aquatint and Drypoint Etching, British Art
By Chris Ofili
Located in Hamburg, DE
Chris Ofili (British, b. 1968) Untitled, 2000 Medium: Etching, aquatint and drypoint, on Hahnemühle wove paper Dimensions: 25.7 × 20.8 cm (10 1/10 × 8 1/5 in) Edition of 100: Hand-si...
Drypoint, Etching, Aquatint
$750Sale Price|25% Off
H 35.5 in W 31 in D 1 in
Le Petit Chien Sur Le Fauteuil (framed hand signed lithograph)
By René Gruau
Located in Aventura, FL
Le Petit Chien Sur Le Fauteuil (The Little Dog on the Armchair). Lithograph in colors on paper. Hand signed lower right by Rene Gruau. Hand numbered 139/300 lower left. Sheet siz...
Paper, Lithograph
FIVE MUSICIANS (JUDAICA ART)
By Amram Ebgi
Located in Aventura, FL
Embossed lithograph with foil stamping on paper. Hand signed and numbered by the artist. From the edition of 750. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of authenticity in...
Foil
$8,500
H 55 in W 55 in
Orit Fuchs: Vivid 60 - Giclee print on canvas female figure painting. 55/55"
By Orit Fuchs
Located in Tel Aviv, IL
Orit Fuchs lives and works in Tel Aviv, a storyteller with a deep, pure, and unquenchable appetite for artistic self-expression. Her medium spans the gamut - sculptures, pa...
Giclée
Unavailable|$10,000
H 17 in W 17 in
"CONGREGATION OF WITS: BOX SET", 41 silkscreen prints, double-sided, custom box
By Andrew Cornell Robinson
Located in Toronto, Ontario
"CONGREGATION OF WITS, Box Set of 41 Prints", 2018, limited-edition collection of 40 double-sided silkscreen prints, plus one title print, by Andrew Cornell Robinson. There are 10 box sets in custom-made chocolate linen archival boxes with a gold stamped title. Each print is signed, stamped and editioned. The prints measure 17x17", the box 17.5x17.5". Note the double-sided printing – surfaces of text, surfaces of image. The installation (see photos above) is a striking performance in itself with myriad possibilities for color, pattern, language, culture, politics, identity. The artist is pleased to offer guidance on the installation, according to the collector's wishes. Or a collector may arrange personally. It's a dynamic body of work that delights in the craft of making and the experience of revealing a tapestry of image and language. Initially inspired by a visit to the Talking Sculptures...
Paper, Archival Paper, Color, Screen, Linen
$6,850
H 21.5 in W 29 in
AUTUMN OF THE ROOSTER Signed Lithograph, Black Couple, African American Culture
By Romare Bearden
Located in Union City, NJ
AUTUMN OF THE ROOSTER is an original hand drawn, limited edition lithograph by the American master artist and collagist Romare Bearden printed usi...
Lithograph
$3,000
H 27 in W 34.5 in
NO PLACE LIKE HOME Signed Lithograph, Black Family, Vintage Kitchen Scene
By Louis Delsarte
Located in Union City, NJ
NO PLACE LIKE HOME is a hand drawn, limited edition lithograph(not a photo reproduction or digital print) by the African American artist Louis Delsarte ...
Lithograph
$1,440Sale Price|20% Off
H 30.5 in W 27 in
JUMPIN' & JIVIN' Signed Lithograph, Jazz Club, Band Musicians, Color Collage
By James Denmark
Located in Union City, NJ
JUMPIN & JIVIN' is an original hand drawn, limited edition lithograph(not a photo reproduction or digital print) by the American artist James Denmark printed on archival Somerset...
Lithograph
Gene Autry. by Frank Romero
By Frank Romero
Located in Palm Springs, CA
Portrait of Gene Autry, by Frank Romero This print was featured in “Dreamland”, the first solo exhibition of a Chicano artist at MOLAA (Museum of Latin American Art). This is the f...
Screen
$5,800
H 33.25 in W 23.5 in
SCHOMBURG LIBRARY 1986 Lithograph, African American History, Black Culture
By Jacob Lawrence
Located in Union City, NJ
SCHOMBURG LIBRARY is a hand drawn, limited edition lithograph by the renowned African American artist Jacob Lawrence, printed using traditional hand ...
Lithograph
AQUARIUM (JUDAICA ART)
By Amram Ebgi
Located in Aventura, FL
Embossed lithograph with foil stamping on paper. Hand signed and numbered by the artist. AP edition of 450. Artwork is in excellent condition. Certificate of authenticity included...
Foil
$7,000
H 14 in W 11.5 in D 1.25 in
Black Rage, silkscreen print with COA Signed 53/100 by Glenn Ligon, Framed
By Glenn Ligon
Located in New York, NY
Renowned contemporary conceptual African American artist Glenn Ligon Black Rage (back cover), 2019 Silkscreen and digital print Edition number 53/100 Accompanied by an official Certi...
Digital, Screen
$300
H 11.6 in W 17.7 in
"The Wait" 2020 signed original limited edition silkscreen 12x18in abstract
By Ray Smith
Located in Miami, FL
Ray Smith (United States, 1959) 'La Espera', 2020 Silkscreen on paper. Edition of 50 11.7 x 17.8 in. (29.5 x 45 cm.) Ref: SMI-101 Ray Smith (American, b.1959) Born in Brownsville, T...
Ink, Screen
Afro Lunar Lovers II
By Chris Ofili
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Chris Ofili (b. 1968), a member of the Young British Artists, is renowned for his vibrant, multi-layered works that celebrate Afrocentrism through both figurative and abstract approa...
Gold Leaf
Yellow Day Dreamer
By Chris Ofili
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Chris Ofili (b. 1968), a member of the Young British Artists, is renowned for his vibrant, multi-layered works that celebrate Afrocentrism through both figurative and abstract approa...
Aquatint
Green Riann
By Chris Ofili
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Chris Ofili (b. 1968), a member of the Young British Artists, is renowned for his vibrant, multi-layered works that celebrate Afrocentrism through both figurative and abstract approa...
Aquatint
Turquoise Duo
By Chris Ofili
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Chris Ofili (b. 1968), a member of the Young British Artists, is renowned for his vibrant, multi-layered works that celebrate Afrocentrism through both figurative and abstract approa...
Aquatint
Blue Friends
By Chris Ofili
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Chris Ofili (b. 1968), a member of the Young British Artists, is renowned for his vibrant, multi-layered works that celebrate Afrocentrism through both figurative and abstract approa...
Aquatint
Rincon Falls
By Chris Ofili
Located in Toronto, Ontario
Chris Ofili (b. 1968), a member of the Young British Artists, is renowned for his vibrant, multi-layered works that celebrate Afrocentrism through both figurative and abstract approa...
Drypoint, Aquatint
Sold
H 25 in W 18 in
Afro Lunar Lovers II, 21st century gold leave and embossed screenprint
By Chris Ofili
Located in Beachwood, OH
Chris Ofili (British, b. 1968) Afro Lunar Lovers II, 2005 Giclée print in colours with screenprint, embossing and gold leaf, on wove paper Signed and dated lower right, titled lower center, numbered 181/250 lower left 18.75 x 12.25 inches 25 x 18 inches, framed Christopher Ofili, (born 10 October 1968) is a British painter who is best known for his paintings incorporating elephant dung. He was Turner Prize-winner and one of the Young British Artists. Since 2005, Ofili has been living and working in Trinidad and Tobago...
Gold Leaf
Afternoon with la Soufrière (Prelude 4)
By Chris Ofili
Located in London, GB
Digital Pigment Print on 330 gsm Somerset Velvet Enhanced with Gold Leaf. Hand-signed and numbered by the artist. Paper size: 26.1 x 38.6 cm Edition of 100 + 20 APs
Digital Pigment
Sold
H 19.3 in W 14.97 in D 0.99 in
Damascus Nude, Linocut in Artist Frame, Contemporary Art, Young British Artist
By Chris Ofili
Located in Hamburg, DE
Chris Ofili (British, b. 1968) Damascus Nude, 2006 Medium: Linocut on wove copperplate paper, in artist's frame (covered in goat skin) Sheet dimensions: 30.2 × 20.1 cm (12 × 8 in) Fr...
Linocut
Sold
H 15.95 in W 11.46 in
Regal, Contemporary Art, Young British Artist, YBA, 21st Century
By Chris Ofili
Located in Hamburg, DE
Chris Ofili (Manchester 1968 – lives in London) Regal, 2000 Medium: Lithographic print in 4 colours on a silkscreened glow-in-the-dark background, on Colorplan 270 gsm paper Dimensio...
Lithograph, Screen
Afro Lunar Lovers
By Chris Ofili
Located in Hamburg, DE
Chris Ofili (Manchester 1968 – lives in London) 'Afro Lunar Lovers' Giclee, embossed on paper, gold leaf hand applied by the artist Edition of 350 Signed, dated, titled and numbered in gold ink on recto Published by Afroco and Victoria Miro...
Giclée
Untitled, Red Dots, 1997
By Chris Ofili
Located in London, GB
Watercolour and pencil on paper 24.1 x 15.9 cm (9 7/6 x 6/14 inches) Signed ‘CHRIS OFILI’ twice and dated ’98 on the reverse. Provenance Crane Kalman Gallery Victoria Miro...
Paper, Watercolor, Pencil